AGB Search Recruits CFO for the University of Alaska
February 1, 2023 – Chief financial officers continue to be in high demand. Finding them is keeping many of the nation’s top recruitment operations busier than ever. In recent months, search firms of all varieties have placed CFOs at various companies and universities.
Washington, D.C.-based recruitment firm AGB Search, which specializes in higher education leadership assignments, recently placed Luke Fulp as CFO of the University of Alaska (UA) System. He was selected after a thorough national recruitment effort and replaces interim CFO Richard Schweigert. Margaret Plympton and Julie Staggs led the assignment. “Please join me in welcoming Luke to the University of Alaska,” said Pat Pitney, president. “I want to thank Richard for his excellent service to the university during the interim. Richard will stay on temporarily as the deputy CFO to help with the transition and close out other projects started under his tenure.”
Mr. Fulp brings 20 years of experience supporting public education systems and has extensive financial management and leadership experience in academic settings. For more than a decade he served as deputy superintendent of business and operations for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. Previously, Mr. Fulp was director of finance for the Kodiak School District and purchasing and accounts payable supervisor at the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Fulp holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Alaska Southeast. He’s a certified administrator of school finances and operations through the Association of School Business Officials International, and certified public accountant candidate.
In his position with the University of Alaska, Mr. Fulp will provide strategic direction and overall financial leadership for the university system’s fiscal operations. The main responsibilities include advising on matters related to finance and business affairs; managing the financial condition of UA with an annual budget of nearly $900 million; serving as the primary spokesperson to communicate to all constituents about the financial condition and results of UA; providing change leadership to adapt and transform the financial enterprise to support the board’s goals and strategic objectives; and overseeing the functions of controller, risk management services, internal audit and compliance, procurement and contract service, and the Education Trust of Alaska.
“Alaska is my home and I want to see our university system thrive,” said Mr. Fulp. “I possess the skills and abilities necessary to support the mission and bring about positive change to the University of Alaska. Specifically, it would be an honor to assist UA in achieving its goal of operating cost effectively by reducing administrative costs as a percent of total expenditures, growing earned revenue, and reducing debt held by graduating students.”
Related: AGB Search Assists Gonzaga University in Finding CHRO
The University of Alaska System is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Alaska. It was created in 1917 and comprises three separately accredited universities on 19 campuses. The system serves nearly 30,000 full- and part-time students and offers 400 unique degree programs.
Serving Universities
AGB Search conducts searches for college and university presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, university system heads, and CEOs of coordinating boards and related foundations. The firm was founded by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) in 2010.
Cultivating the Higher Education Leadership Pipeline
In this brand new episode of ‘Talent Talks,’ Hunt Scanlon Media host Rob Adams is joined by Rod McDavis, managing principal of AGB Search and Nancy Zimpher, Chancellor Emerita of the State University of New York system. In this podcast, Dr. McDavis and Dr. Zimpher share recent trends in higher education leadership including diversity and how AGB’s Institute for Leadership & Governance is changing the game. Listen now!
Dr. Plympton joined AGB Search as a principal after serving in a similar role as a principal in the higher education practice of a global retained search firm. Earlier in her career she served as deputy chair and acting chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
Dr. Staggs joined AGB Search in Fall, 2021. She brings extensive experience in the field of higher education spanning more than 30 years. Dr. Staggs has served in various roles in higher education including the areas of admissions, marketing, teaching, and as a Board of Trustees member.
Related: AGB Search Selected by University of North Dakota to Find Provost
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
