Dear Colleagues,
Now more than six months into our “Lead On, University: The Next Phase” Strategic Plan, its continued momentum and success hinges on aligning bold strategy with sound financial stewardship and operational excellence. To help drive this work forward, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Stewart Berkinshaw as Senior Vice President for Strategy and Finance, effective October 4, pending final approval by the OU Board of Regents.
In this enterprise-wide role, Stewart will be charged with translating our Strategic Plan into measurable outcomes. He will oversee all Administration and Finance functions, providing leadership that fully integrates and aligns Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Operations, and Strategic Initiatives across all three campuses. By uniting these critical functions, he will ensure that our Strategic Plan is resourced, sequenced, and executed with accountability – advancing long-term, data-driven strategies that enhance our mission and position us for sustained success.
For more than a decade, Stewart has been an integral part of OU, helping shape and implement strategies that have significantly strengthened the university’s financial health and positioned us to invest confidently in our future. Before his appointment as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer this past February, he held a series of key leadership positions, including Associate Provost for Academic Finance (2014-2018), Chief Budget Officer (2018-2020), and Associate Vice President for Budget and Finance (2020-2025) for the Norman campus. In each of these roles, he has demonstrated exceptional financial expertise and strategic vision. He has fostered a results-oriented culture defined by collaboration, transparency, creativity, and efficiency – qualities that have consistently elevated the teams he has led.
Prior to joining OU, Stewart built extensive professional experience as a Senior Manager with KPMG in Dallas, where he worked with clients in higher education, health care, and government. A graduate of OU’s Price College of Business, he holds a BBA in Finance and Accounting, a Master of Accountancy, and is a certified public accountant.
Please join me in congratulating Stewart on this well-deserved appointment and in supporting him as he helps position OU for lasting impact and continued excellence.
Live On, University,
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
President
