UIW Welcomes a New CFO | A Message from President Evans

Dear students, faculty and staff,

It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Lenora C. Chapman as the University of the Incarnate Word’s next Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Administration.

I extend my sincere thanks to the CFO search committee for their thorough and efficiently managed search, expertly supported by WittKieffer. Their efforts and careful deliberation yielded a strong candidate pool and an outstanding selection.

Lenora brings with her deep and broad experience in financial leadership in higher education, especially in San Antonio, having served at Trinity University, the Alamo Colleges District and the University of Texas at San Antonio. Most recently, she served as Vice President for Finance and Administration and CFO at Southwestern University, where she streamlined internal workflows, improved procurement processes, and optimized administrative systems, significantly enhancing efficiency and operational effectiveness across the institution. Prior to this, she was Associate Vice President for Financial Planning and Budget at Sam Houston State University, where among her many duties, she played key roles in the successful launch of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the SHSU Physicians clinic.

In her new role at UIW, she will be responsible for the university’s financial operations, and will oversee management of facilities and physical infrastructure, human resources, UIW Police, environmental health, safety and risk management, and vehicle services. She will work closely with university leadership to effectively steward our resources and align their allocation with our strategy and Mission.

This month, she visited UIW’s Broadway campus and had the opportunity to meet and engage with many members of our community, including the President’s Executive Committee, the Dean’s Council, members of the Faculty Senate, and employees within the CFO’s division. During these meetings, Lenora shared more about her philosophy on management and collaboration, her commitment to fostering relationships, and her approaches to clear, transparent communication.

I look forward to welcoming her when her tenure begins on May 5. My deep thanks go to both John Bury, Vice President for Strategy and Enrollment, for his oversight of many of the critical areas within the division of Finance and Administrative Services, and Doug Endsley, Interim Vice President for Budget and Finance, for stepping into his previous role and steering our financial operations throughout the academic year.

It has been a dynamic year with significant forward momentum. Thanks to the effective work of our search committees and input from our broader community, we have welcomed three talented and accomplished new leaders. Together with their fellow vice presidents and with the support of their divisions, they will help propel us forward, make progress toward our new strategic plan, and continue to embody our shared Mission.

Praised be the Incarnate Word!

Sincerely,
 
Thomas M. Evans, PhD
President