When I came to UNT seven years ago, we were in deep financial trouble and it was imperative I hire a smart, deliberate, and collaborative chief financial officer. With a track record as a successful higher education business officer and his enthusiasm as a UNT alumnus, it was evident Bob Brown was the man to right the ship.
Bob came in ready to work, guiding UNT through a financial transformation that set the foundation for our recent progress. He is known for stressing fiscal responsibility and work efficiency, championing employee engagement, collaborating with his peers on the Cabinet, and putting our students first. With Bob's support and dedication, we've been able to achieve great successes in recent years such as designation as a Tier One research university, record-setting enrollment, campus beautification, creation of 100 new doctoral lines, Frisco campus establishment, and significant main campus growth. It is clear that he works for the good of the whole and helped move the UNT System forward, briefly serving as acting vice chancellor for finance at the request of Chancellor Lesa Roe.
On May 7, after working 41 years in higher education, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Bob Brown will retire. He will be deeply missed, and we hope he will remain engaged with the university in a retirement-friendly capacity. A search committee has been formed to identify Bob's replacement, and I will keep the UNT community updated on the status of that search.
Bob has dedicated his life to higher education, and we are fortunate he chose to return to work at his alma mater. As a CPA and “finance guy” whose job it is to crunch numbers, Bob has a unique ability to see more than just data. He takes those numbers and uses them as a way to support the mission that matters most — empowering our students to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Congratulations on your retirement, Bob.
UNT Proud,
Neal Smatresk
UNT President