LEADERSHIP – A life-long Development Process

LEADERSHIP – A life-long Development Process

As I reflect on my leadership experiences as President of College of Science, Technology, and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), and my various leadership roles at Medgar Evers College and Bethune Cookman-University, I believe that the record would show that I am a goal oriented and results-driven leader with a proven track record of 25 - plus years’ experience in the leadership and management of complex higher education institutions, who is adept at leading organizational transformation and change, identifying and developing talent, and maximizing resource utilization, for achieving the organizations’ mission, goals and objectives.  In addition, I believe that I possess all of the aforementioned attributes of the twenty-first leader; and that the wisdom born from all of these combined experiences would allow me to work with the requisite stakeholders to successfully accomplish the next steps along my leadership journey.

Despite this strongly held belief, I fully understand, appreciate, and acknowledge that I am still developing as a leader; and that the process of leadership is a life-long activity. In addition, I recognize that I must continue to be sensitive to the relational process of leadership, and for me to continue to be an effective leader I must be always mindful that: everyone is a leader in his/her own right; that everyone is also a follower; and that leadership is about people working together to bring about change for the common good. In the higher education environment the common good is transforming the lives of each and every student who entrust their future to us to help them achieve their career goals and aspirations; and lead them to self-actualization. This is indeed an awesome responsibility that can only be achieved through teamwork, collaboration, respect for other, and shared governance, with all of the stakeholders playing their parts to the best of their abilities.

Vice President for Finance & Strategy (2013-2015) Bethune-Cookman University

Vice President for Finance & Strategy (2013-2015)

Bethune-Cookman University

From 2013-2015 served as Bethune-Cookman University’s chief financial and strategy officer by providing leadership, supervision and evaluation of programs and services for all finance and business functions including the budget office, controller and accounting functions, internal audit and control, business affairs, auxiliary enterprises, and new business development, capital construction and sustainability, facilities operations, campus safety and emergency preparedness.  Supported the president and trustees in leading the strategic planning function, and provide leadership for the development and management of the University’s operating and capital budgets, and endowment fund. Leads and manages the University’s master planning efforts. Ensured legal compliance and coordinated institutional compliance with external regulators and regulatory agencies in such areas as finance, risk assessment and insurance, campus safety, and hazardous materials management. Managed an $85 million operating budget; a $150 million 20-year building rehabilitation capital fund; an $87 million new construction fund; and a $53 million endowment fund.

As the Vice President for Finance and Strategy at Bethune-Cookman University, a private not-for-profit institution that is 100 percent dependent on tuition and fees, Federal and State grants, and other private gifts and grants, I have had to fine-tune a nascent entrepreneurial mind-set to develop, promote, and implement radical “outside-the-box” thinking to manage the University’s limited resources. So I am intimately familiar with: devising and implementing enrolment-driven programs and strategies, student retention and student success strategies, maintaining stringent cost-controls and efficiency standards, and developing alternative revenue streams thru grants development, auxiliary business development strategies, and fundraising.

Strategic Planning: Led the development of the 2013 - 18 Strategic Plan: Ascending to Greatness that sets forth ambitious yet realistic goals and objectives that are aligned with the necessary resources to permit the accomplishment of the University’s mission and vision. Coordinated the development of various divisions’ business plans that served as the implementing mechanism for accomplishing the goals and objectives of the strategic plan.

Results: The University has become 10-15 percent more efficient in utilizing resources as well as 70-75 percent more effective in achieving its goals and objectives.

Finance: Restructured the University’s financial operations by streamlining, consolidating and or eliminating functions and activities. Performed comprehensive audit of financial operations; analyzed existing financial policies, procedures, standards, systems and organizational structure to evaluate effectiveness in service delivery; established a series of policies, procedures, standards and systems to more efficiently manage accounting/financial data collection, analysis, and reporting; improved quality, accuracy, and usefulness of financial data, for timely and effective decision-making.  Co-chair a cross-functional team of inter-divisional University staff in assessing the policies, procedures, systems, and organizational structure and staffing that affect service delivery in the student affairs/enrollment area.

Results: Implemented new chart of accounts, budget, fixed assets, on-line requisition and procurement, human resources, and payroll ERP modules that enhanced accountability; increased efficiency; improved information processing and reporting; increased revenue collection by 10 percent; accelerated cash flow by 15 percent; implemented on-line real time purchasing and procurement processes that reduced processing time from 2 weeks to 72 hours; implemented online vendor registration; improved accuracy of financial codes by over 90 percent; and eliminated paperwork by over 95 percent; re-negotiated vendor service contracts which reduced expenditures by 10-15 % and increased service delivery by 25 percent.

Master Planning: Lead a team of internal and external professionals in revising the University’s master plan focusing on sustainability with the goal to develop a plan that would meet the University’s physical and technology facilities needs for the next thirty to forty years while at the same time reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint.

               Results: The plan is 50 percent completed, is on schedule and within budget.

Capital Improvement and Construction Management: Partnering with private developers in a Public-Private-Partnership (P3) arrangement to construct a $72 million 1200-bed residence hall and a $15 million integrated student center and student services administrative complex. In keeping with the strategic vision of the university established a comprehensive $150 million 20-year building rehabilitation plan to upgrade the University’s aging facilities.

Results: Residence halls are scheduled for completion in January 2016; and the student center and student service administrative complex is slated for completion in August 2016. Phase 1 of the rehabilitation plan is scheduled for completion by August 2015.

Medgar Evers College, City University of New York (CUNY)

Medgar Evers College, City University of New York (CUNY)

Prior to becoming the President and Chief Executive Officer of COSTAATT, from 1989 to 2008, I held a diverse portfolio of responsibilities at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York (CUNY) including: to President/Legal Affairs, and Executive Assistant to President/Chief of Staff Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Vice President/Dean of Strategic Planning and Information Technology/Chief Technology Officer, Vice President/Dean of Finance and Development/Chief Financial Officer, Acting Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration, Senior Policy Advisor.  These diverse responsibilities have provided me with the depth and breathe of experiences that allowed me to understand the role that CUNY (the third largest university system in the nation) plays in meeting the higher education needs of the people of New York City, while simultaneously meeting the specific needs of the residents of the Central Brooklyn and the surrounding environs; and indeed made me eminently qualified to assume Presidency of COSTAATT and address the challenges and opportunities that were inherent in this position.

Strategic Planning: Led the development of the first five-year strategic master plan for a unit of the City University of New York (CUNY) that aligned attainable goals and objectives with realistic resources to permit the accomplishment of the college's mission. Reviewed existing business plans; established strategic planning steering committee as well as respective business unit work groups; performed SWOT analyses and environmental scanning; coordinated the establishment of goals and objectives; identified resources.

Results: The College has become 15-20 percent more efficient in utilizing resources as well as 75-80 percent more effective in achieving its goals and objectives.

Finance: Restructured the College’s financial operations by consolidating functions and activities of key offices. Performed comprehensive audit of financial operations; analyzed existing financial policies, procedures, standards, systems and organizational structure to evaluate effectiveness in service delivery; established a series of policies, procedures, standards and systems to more efficiently manage accounting/financial data collection, analysis, and reporting; improved quality, accuracy, and usefulness of financial data, for timely and effective decision-making.

Results: Enhanced accountability; increased efficiency; improved information processing and reporting; increased revenue collection by 20 percent; accelerated cash flow by 10 percent; streamlined purchasing and procurement process by reducing paperwork by 25 percent; re-negotiated vendor service contracts which reduced expenditures by 15% and increased revenues by 30%.

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Information Technology: Led a cross-functional team of internal and external professionals in developing and implementing the College’ first five-year, $5 million information technology and telecommunications strategic plan. Reviewed existing plan; researched industry trends; coordinated with business units to solicit goals and objectives and develop IT strategies; evaluated alternatives; developed resource requirements for implementing plan.

Results: The College is now one of the most technologically advanced units within CUNY, and has one of the best FTE student-to-PC-ratio (8 to 1) of any college. Generated over 70 percent of funding for IT plans from non-university sources.

Marketing: Developed Medgar Evers College first marketing and recruitment plan based on the concept of "Creating Success - One Student at a Time" for the successful penetration of new student markets. Researched and prepared concept paper; identified untapped market segments; developed marketing plan including ad campaign and other collateral materials; set recruitment targets for untapped markets.

Results: Increased the number of new students from previously untapped markets by more than 10 percent annually, accounting for over 35 percent of new admissions.

Construction Management: Managed and coordinated multiple, complex capital projects.  Justified capital construction projects, prepared project bids and project budgets; scheduled and supervised in-house professionals as well as external contractors; provided full project management control including the establishment of project checkpoints to ensure meeting stakeholder requirements. Lead the development of the college's $360 million capital construction master plan which detailed the facilities needed to meet existing and future enrollment levels. 

Results: Completed projects on time and within budget, and consistently met or exceeded stakeholders' expectations.

Human Resources: Developed Medgar Evers College first five-year human resources management plan. Conducted organizational assessments; implemented new organizational structure that more clearly aligned functions, activities and personnel with goals and objectives; developed succession planning program and strategy; instituted a comprehensive recruitment and staffing program that widened the available pool of applicants; designed creative compensation strategies that attracted and retained employees in critical positions; created a comprehensive staff development and training program; added counseling and referral services to address at-risk employees.

Results: Based upon organizational assessment surveys, employees consistently feel the college is as much about its employees' success as its own.