Hank M. Bounds, Ph.D.

Hank M. Bounds, Ph.D., system President Emeritus of the University of Nebraska, assist institutions and organizations with strategy development, enrollment and cost savings, nationwide executive search, president/chancellor and executive onboarding, executive coaching, board retreats, and more.  He serves as consultant to numerous university administrators, Regents/Trustees and executives.  Additionally, Hank maintains his academic profile as a professor at the University of South Alabama.

As president of the University of Nebraska, Hank oversaw a period of record growth and collaboration, including all-time highs in enrollment, graduation rates, student diversity, research expenditures and public-private partnerships. He was a champion of attracting more talent to the state to meet workforce needs and improving educational outcomes for Nebraskans, including his leadership of a $200 million-plus fundraising initiative to expand student access and success. He strengthened the university’s relationship with the military and presided over the announcement of a $92 million contract renewal for NU to continue its exclusive research partnership with the Department of Defense. Hank brought new levels of efficiency to the university, implementing and overseeing a successful effort to streamline major administrative functions that resulted in $22 million in savings. At the time of his departure, the University of Nebraska enrolled 52,000 students, employed 16,000 faculty and staff and had an annual operating budget of $2.6 billion.

Hank devoted his career to education early on, and came into his role at Nebraska with almost 30 years of executive experience and a demonstrated record of working with policymakers, business leaders and donors to advance shared goals related to economic growth and quality of life.

Hank proudly served in the Army National Guard before earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate from the University of Mississippi.