Greenwood Asher & Associates Seeking Provost for George Mason University
February 13, 2024 – George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, has retained Miramar Beach, FL-based executive recruitment firm Greenwood Asher & Associates to lead in its search for a new executive vice president and provost. Julie Holley and Lois Stetson are spearheading the assignment for the search firm. This role offers a unique opportunity to be a part of a dynamic institution committed to fostering academic excellence, enhancing student success, and driving innovation in higher education. Reporting to the president, the provost will lead the charge in cultivating a dynamic and forward-thinking academic environment. In close collaboration with faculty, staff, and students, they will be instrumental in advancing academic excellence, research, and scholarly pursuits in alignment with Mason’s core values.
Greenwood Asher notes that this role is pivotal in charting strategic directions, spearheading educational initiatives, and facilitating the success of all members of the Mason community, safeguarding George Mason University’s continued position as a frontrunner in higher education. They will serve as the university’s principal academic officer. This role entails the comprehensive supervision of the university’s educational, research, and public engagement endeavors, according to the search firm.
With direct authority over all colleges, schools, and academic support units, the provost collaborates with the senior administration to allocate resources for academic programs and functions. This collaborative effort ensures that the university’s mission is consistently upheld. To assist in these responsibilities, the provost is supported by a dedicated team of vice presidents, vice and associate provosts, deans, and professional staff, all deeply committed to the realization of Mason’s educational goals.
The ideal candidate will bring a successful record of academic leadership based on a combination of scholarly accomplishment and executive experience, or substantial leadership and career accomplishments with an understanding of and demonstrated commitment to higher education. They should have a demonstrated commitment to shared governance as exemplified by the ability to build institutional excellence, especially in the University’s core functions of instruction, research, and scholarship.
Related: Greenwood Asher & Associates Places President and CEO for University of the District of Columbia
George Mason University was established in 1957 as the Northern Virginia branch of the University of Virginia and became an independent public university in 1972. In the decades since, it has sustained an exceptional growth trajectory. It is now a major national research university with a proven record of access to excellence and a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. In 2016, the University achieved a Carnegie Tier 1 research designation. Enrollment exceeds 38,000 students from 130 countries and 50 states. With three Northern Virginia campuses and an international campus near Seoul, South Korea, Mason’s location just outside the nation’s capital provides exceptional opportunities for the university to engage the U.S. government, international organizations and major corporations in a myriad of industries.
President Search
In 2020, Greenwood Asher & Associates helped to recruit Gregory Washington as the eighth president of George Mason. “When the board set out to fill this position, we were determined to find someone who was both a strategic thinker with the vision to see our future and a mobilizer with the ability to inspire our community to build on Mason’s success,” said Rector Tom Davis said at the time of the search. “Dr. Gregory Washington stood out in a very competitive search. “He showed tremendous vision for the future of our region and how we fit in, and displayed the ability to motivate and inspire our community. I look forward to working with him and seeing him position Mason as a leader in higher education.”
Virginia Tech Selects Greenwood Asher & Associates to Find New CFO
Greenwood Asher & Associates has been called in by Virginia Tech to lead in its search for a new CFO. Denice Perdue and Jeremy Duff are leading the assignment. The CFO has fiduciary responsibility for university funds, business processes, and serves as the principal financial officer for the university. They will be a key member of the president’s council and is directly responsible for the oversight and management of the following areas within the university: Budget and financial planning, capital budgeting and financing, financial management, university controller, university bursar, finance information technology, risk management and insurance, procurement and surplus property, and the university treasurer.
Greenwood Asher & Associates is an executive search firm with a diverse consulting team and extensive experience in executive search, consulting, and training for education markets including elementary, secondary, higher education, university systems, campuses and non-profit organizations including associations, service, and cultural institutions. The firm was acquired in 2020 by Kelly Education, a global leader in workforce management solutions offering staffing services to top companies.
As associate vice president of executive search, Ms. Holley has been an integral member of the Greenwood Asher & Associates team. She has completed hundreds of searches for the firm, putting a particular emphasis on identifying and recruiting leaders for presidential searches. In her work as a search consultant and practice leader, she has conducted searches in the full range of higher education organizations, but particularly focuses on searches at AAU and high extensive research and doctoral institutions. Ms. Holley has a track record of recruiting leaders into positions at the cabinet level, including presidents, provosts, and deans. She also specializes in searches for positions relating to her legal background, including law dean and general counsel positions and other legal-related positions in higher education.
As a senior executive search consultant at Greenwood Asher & Associates, Ms. Stetson has broad recruitment expertise filling various senior positions. Prior to her current role, she was a paralegal, both for a private law firm and with the State of Florida. In these roles, she adeptly managed a range of cases, offering critical support to attorneys during both criminal and civil proceedings, as well as trials.
Related: Greenwood Asher & Associates Places President and CEO for University of the District of Columbia
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
