By Steve Gilliam, University Relations
Jeffrey R. Davies, who has been vice president for finance with the University of North Carolina system since 1999, has been appointed vice chancellor for business affairs at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, effective March 1.
The appointment was announced by UNCG Chancellor Patricia A. Sullivan, following its approval by the UNCG Board of Trustees. Davies was selected from among 77 applicants in a national search.
“I am very excited about Jeff's appointment,” Sullivan said. “He will lead a very competent, well-run Business Affairs Division that was built by Phil Richman over 24 years.
“Jeff brings considerable experience in a wide range of financial and legislative expertise to lead the Business Affairs Division, as well as a fine working knowledge of the other university divisions. UNCG is very fortunate to be able to recruit a person of Jeff’s caliber, competence and values. He is a wonderful addition to the team, and I look forward to working with him.”
UNC President Molly Broad, in congratulating UNCG on its selection, called Davies “one of the University’s strongest leaders in the financial arena.”
UNC President-Elect Erskine Bowles said of the appointment, "UNCG will benefit greatly from Jeff's leadership and knowledge of finance. I am excited that he will have this opportunity to expand his portfolio by working on one of our campuses under the leadership of one of the University's real stars, Chancellor Pat Sullivan."
Davies will succeed Philip H. Richman, who retired Sept. 30, and has remained in an interim half-time appointment during the search. Richman joined UNCG in 1981 as director of accounting and budgets, and was appointed vice chancellor in 1995.
At UNCG, Davies will have responsibility for the Business Affairs Division, which has 450 employees in the areas of finance, physical plant, business and student services and human resource services.
He also will represent UNCG’s fiscal interest to its affiliated foundations, the UNCG Board of Trustees, the UNC Board of Governors, the UNC Office of the President, and various agencies of state and federal governments. He has oversight for:
• planning and management of UNCG’s fiscal and business affairs and its facilities, including financial services, budget development and administration;
• internal auditing, business and auxiliary services;
• physical plant, including construction, maintenance and operations, and environmental safety;
• human resource services and campus police and public safety.
Reflecting on his tenure at the UNC Office of the President and his new UNCG responsibilities, Davies said, “Having had the opportunity to learn from the exemplary leadership provided by outgoing President Molly Broad has been a wonderful experience for me.
“And while I regret not being able to experience working with Erskine Bowles, I look forward to the opportunity of being able to continue serving the University of North Carolina in a new capacity at UNCG.”
Davies brings a wealth of experience to the UNCG position. As vice president for finance for the UNC, he has been the UNC system’s chief financial officer since August of 1999.
There, he oversaw the Finance Division’s preparation of UNC’s unified budget requests to the North Carolina General Assembly and its support of the Public Affairs Division in advocating for legislative support of university programs and initiatives.
Annual expenditures in the systems exceed $4 billion and state appropriations have totaled over $1.6 billion annually. He has provided leadership to the UNC campuses in implementing the $2.5 billion N.C. Higher Education Bonds program approved by voters in the November 2000 general election.
A certified public accountant, Davies joined UNC General Administration in 1985 as an assistant vice president. Three years later he assumed the dual title of assistant vice president and services officer, overseeing all internal operations for accounting, purchasing, personnel and payroll, and systems support. In 1992, he was promoted to associate vice president.
In that role he was responsible for the development of the system's budget requests for capital improvements, as well as coordinating the processes for setting tuition and student fees and issuing revenue bonds. He has provided ongoing support to the UNC Board of Governors' Committee on Budget and Finance and represented the system before various legislative and governmental committees.
Before joining the UNC General Administration, he was at UNC-Chapel Hill as a systems accountant from 1981-85 and as director of systems and procedures from April to August of 1985. He was a systems accountant with the Department of the State Treasurer from 1978-81. He worked at Guilford Mills in Greensboro as a cost accountant from 1976-78.
Davies is a graduate of UNC-CH, where he earned a B.S. in business administration degree in 1976 and an MBA in 1989. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the N.C. Association of Certified Public Accountants.
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