University of California, Berkeley CFO to become Virginia Tech Executive Vice President

Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger announces the appointment of James A. Hyatt as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

"We were very impressed with Jim's breadth in and understanding of higher education financial management. His work record and publications are highly respected in the profession," said President Steger.

Hyatt is Vice Chancellor for Budget and Finance at University of California at Berkeley. In this capacity he serves the university as the Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for fiscal leadership at California's flagship institution. He has served Cal Berkeley since 1991 including roles as Vice Chancellor for Resource Planning and Budget and Associate Chancellor for Budget and Planning.

"I am very excited about working at Virginia Tech. It has a bright future, is highly regarded around the country, and the leadership has it well positioned for excellence. I was particularly impressed by Virginia Tech's motto ""Ut Prosim" -- "That I May Serve." " said Hyatt.

Throughout his three decade career Hyatt also held financial positions at the University of Maryland, College Park; the University of Washington; and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), the professional association for higher education business and finance officer.

Prior to his appointment at Berkeley in 1991, Hyatt served as Assistant Vice President and chief planning and budget officer at the University of Maryland at College Park, 1987-1991. From 1979 to 1987 he served in a number of positions at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) including Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and as Director of its Financial Management Center, the association's research and policy arm. Prior to that, he worked in the budget and planning area at the University of Washington at Seattle.

While at Berkeley, Hyatt was responsible for implementation of a campus-wide financial management system, a multi-year financial capacity and planning model, and the innovative E-Berkeley Internet Initiative, a campus-wide initiative with a goal of making transactions available on the web, both academic and administrative.

Hyatt has written several books on higher education finance, including A Cost Accounting Handbook for Colleges and Universities, Presentation and Analysis of Financial Management Information, and Financial Management at Colleges and Universities.

The Virginia Tech executive vice president and chief operating officer serves as the university's primary administrative officer, oversees all non-academic functions of the university, including the physical infrastructure, and has fiduciary responsibility for all university funds, business processes, and relationships with university-related corporations.

Hyatt is a graduate of the University of Washington, B.A. English, 1972 and MBA, 1976. He will begin work in Blacksburg in late July. A welcome reception will be held on Thursday, April 15, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Room 1100, Torgersen Hall. At that time, the Virginia Tech community will have the opportunity to meet and welcome Hyatt, his wife, and son.

Hyatt will replace Minnis Ridenour, a veteran Virginia Tech administrator, who will teach and assist the president on special projects. Ridenour teaches public policy and finance in the Center for Public Administration and Policy and is generally considered by Richmond watchers as one of the state's experts on higher education finance.

Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech has grown to become the largest university in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, Virginia Tech's eight colleges are dedicated to putting knowledge to work through teaching, research, and outreach activities and to fulfilling its vision to be among the top 30 research universities in the nation. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 170 academic degree programs.