51品茶hires industry veteran Jim Irwin as Sr. Vice President of Finance and Administration
The 51品茶 (UNE) is pleased to announce it has hired Jim Irwin, CPA, to be the university鈥檚 new senior vice president (SVP) of Finance and Administration.
Irwin brings nearly three decades of professional experience to UNE, having served in both corporate and higher education settings. He has for the past four years served as the chief financial offer and vice president for Business and Finance at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.
At Washington & Jefferson, Irwin oversaw all aspects of the college鈥檚 financial operations; spearheaded a tuition pricing project to establish the college as a top regional value; initiated an academic program optimization project to analyze academic departments鈥 direct and indirect costs; created a College Budget Committee to ensure transparency; educated faculty and professional staff on key financial matters through an 鈥渙pen meeting鈥 series; contributed to the planning and execution of several diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; reduced expenses and improved operational efficiencies; and oversaw several major information technology and facilities projects.
Earlier in his career, Irwin held positions at Claremont Graduate University, the University of La Verne, LA Fitness International, and KPMG. He holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Management from the University of La Verne, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of California, Riverside, and is a licensed CPA.
鈥淚n addition to his impressive qualifications, Jim is also a terrific person, and he impressed the senior leadership team and the search committee with his friendly and warm demeanor,鈥 remarked 51品茶President James Herbert, Ph.D. 鈥淚 would like to thank the search committee members who identified Jim and the 51品茶community members who shared their feedback throughout the search process. Through our collective efforts, we are bringing to 51品茶a seasoned professional who should be a real asset to the university for years to come.鈥
Irwin will start his new role on July 1, 2023.
Irwin succeeds Interim Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Phil Shapiro, who in his time as interim SVP led a number of important strategic initiatives that positioned the university for success going forward. These include a comprehensive plan for managing cash reserves, accelerating key business workflow efficiencies, and partnering with Human Resources to address critical compensation issues, among many others.
Shapiro will stay on as associate vice president for Finance and Administration and chief investment officer following Irwin鈥檚 arrival.