After a national search, UCF has selected Gerald L. Hector as its new senior vice president for Administration and Finance. He is expected to start his new role on January 4, 2021.
“Out of an outstanding pool of candidates, Gerald stood out because of his impressive experience and his collaborative, compassionate and focused leadership style, which aligns with UCF’s values and illustrates that he is the right partner to help in our pursuit of excellence.”
— President Alexander N. Cartwright
Hector is currently the executive vice president and chief business officer at Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he oversees a variety of university functions, including Human Resources, Campus Operations, College Compliance, Student Accounts, Facilities and more. He has more than 22 years of progressive leadership in finance and operations in higher education, including holding similar positions at Cornell University, Ithaca College and Johnson C. Smith University.
“Out of an outstanding pool of candidates, Gerald stood out because of his impressive experience and his collaborative, compassionate and focused leadership style, which aligns with UCF’s values and illustrates that he is the right partner to help in our pursuit of excellence,” says President Alexander N. Cartwright. “As we look to invest strategically and deliver on goals and initiatives that will continue to make UCF exceptional, I look forward to Gerald building and empowering our team and encouraging a culture of greater trust, transparency, inclusivity and efficiency in the combined division of administration and finance.”
In addition to his finance and operations work, Hector is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, particularly on college campuses, and has hosted and appeared on national webinars, podcasts and other media to discuss how changing demographics impact the financial health and vibrancy of higher education institutions.
“UCF is a wonderful institution that has accomplished quite a bit and is on the cutting edge of doing things that will benefit humanity as a whole,” Hector says. “As the institution continues to address challenges, get the right systems in place, build its culture and achieve its aspirational goals, I look forward to joining the conversation and being a part of the transformation.”
In his role at UCF, Hector will report to the president and serve as a key member of the senior leadership team to shape financial and operational strategies that support the academic mission of the university. He will also provide vision and leadership for vital campus departments, including Finance, Facilities, Human Resources, Business Services and Public Safety.
The 15-member search committee, which included faculty, staff and student representatives, was co-chaired by Paul Jarley, dean of the College of Business, and Kristie Harris, associate vice president for Financial Affairs.
“Gerald has a unique combination of technical and leadership skills that will serve UCF very well going forward. I was impressed by his vast knowledge, enthusiasm, direct nature and customer service orientation,” Jarley says. “He will be a great partner for the academic units, as well as a strong advocate for his people as we implement a number of important changes to how the university operates. UCF is fortunate to have him on our team.”
“Throughout the interview process, Mr. Hector consistently demonstrated exceptional knowledge and expertise in higher education finance and academia,” Harris says. “We are thrilled that he’s accepted the opportunity to join the UCF family and look forward to collaborating with him as we continue to move our institution’s upward trajectory.”
Joe Trubacz, interim vice president and chief financial officer, will retire at the end of the year, and Misty Shepherd, interim vice president and chief operating officer, will report to Hector.
Hector is an honors graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he majored in accounting, and holds a master’s degree in Christian thought from the Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, N.C. He is married to his college sweetheart, Sharon-Kaye, and has three children, Joshua, Timothy and Kezia.
