The Florida Board of Governors today confirmed Thad Seymour Jr. as the university’s interim president. The Board of Trustees in February selected Seymour to serve as short-term interim president after President Dale Whittaker resigned, and then voted on March 21 vote to name him interim president until a permanent president was named.
“During these past few weeks, Dr. Seymour has provided much-needed stability and leadership,” says Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Garvy. “Dr. Seymour was selected because of his exceptional background, both in business and academia, and his impactful work at UCF to date. He has helped to move us forward and provided a thoughtful and steady hand during this important time of healing.”
UCF’s search for a new president is anticipated to begin in the fall, with the goal of selecting a new president in early 2020. The new president would likely start during the summer of 2020. The Board of Trustees is expected to discuss more details about the selection process in the coming months.
“Everyone I talk with is committed to making this a better place. And that’s why I am so optimistic about UCF’s future,” says Seymour. “We have some hard work ahead of us. But I know we will do it together. If my years in business taught me anything, it’s to use each challenge as an opportunity to be better, stronger and more effective than you were before.”
Seymour has been with UCF since 2015, most recently serving as vice president for partnerships and chief innovation officer. Prior to joining UCF, he had a successful three-decade business career in Central Florida that included leading strategic planning and business development for Lake Nona Medical City as senior vice president at Tavistock.
