Vice president for B&F named

Caltech’s search for a vice president for business and finance has ended with the appointment of Dean Currie, who will begin his new position in early February. He has served as vice president for finance and administration for the past 16 years at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Dean W. Currie as Caltech’s Vice President for Business and Finance,” President David Baltimore wrote in a December 15 e-mail to the Caltech community. “Dean’s qualifications and experience have prepared him well to assume leadership of Caltech’s business and financial operations.”

An alum of Harvard University, Currie also earned his MBA from that institution and served as the associate dean for administration and policy planning at its Graduate School of Business Administration. Since he joined Rice in 1988, his accomplishments have included converting the university to new software for finance, payroll, human resources, and student data; implementing a cogeneration system that provides 80 percent of campus electrical, heating, and cooling needs; restructuring the management of building and renovation projects; instituting a planning process for the university’s finances and facilities; and orchestrating the school’s first bond offering, which attained a AAA rating.

Currie serves on the boards of the National Association of College and University Business Officers; the Council on Governmental Relations; Tuition Plan, Inc.; and the China International Trade Associates, and is a past board member of the YMCA of the Rockies, TIAA-CREF Advisory Council, Joslin Diabetes Center, and Visiting Committee for Harvard College.

In his announcement, Baltimore also expressed thanks to Provost Paul Jennings and the search committee, “who worked diligently at the difficult and complex task of identifying the very best candidate from an extensive list of highly qualified individuals,” and to Art Elbert, who has served as acting vice president since September. “We owe Art a tremendous debt of gratitude for his willingness to take on these additional duties and for his agreeing to continue in this capacity until Dean assumes office next February,” Baltimore said.

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