SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A man who worked for two decades as an investment banker in the Midwest will become the next senior VP and CFO at Syracuse University.

Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud on July 7 announced the appointment of Brett Padgett to the role. Padgett will direct the university’s finance and administration functions.

Padgett’s appointment will begin later this summer and was approved by the executive committee of the Syracuse University board of trustees.

He assumes the duties that Gwenn Judge has performed since becoming the acting CFO in September 2021 after the previous CFO, Amir Rahnamay-Azar, stepped down.

Padgett currently serves as the associate VP at the University of Chicago. Prior to his work at that university, Padgett was an investment banker for more than two decades, handling “complex” municipal finances throughout the Midwest region of the U.S. During that time, he worked at Citigroup and JPMorgan/Banc One Capital Markets, Syracuse University said.

In his new role, Padgett will oversee Syracuse’s finances, working with Syverud to help the university to “navigate a dynamic financial landscape, optimize resources and investments, and align the budget model” to support the university’s core academic mission, Syracuse said.

“Brett is an outstanding leader with an impressive depth and breadth of experience in finance administration,” Syverud said. “His deep understanding of fiscal management in higher education, his track record of success aligning resources with strategic priorities and his military service will serve Syracuse University well in fulfilling its mission and achieving ambitious goals in the coming years. I am looking forward to welcoming him to the Orange community.”

In his current role at the University of Chicago, Padgett is responsible for accounting and financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, payroll and human-resources services, procurement and payment services, and treasury. He also served as the University of Chicago’ interim VP and CFO from July 2021 to April of this year.

“I am excited about joining Syracuse University at a time when financial planning, resource investment and innovative thinking must be aligned to tackle the many opportunities in higher education,” Padgett said in a statement. 

During the last five years at the University of Chicago, Padgett led the development of a new long-term financial forecast model for the university. He was involved in campus land-use and planning, was responsible for the university’s banking relationships, and led multiple departments with a total of more than 475 employees. 

In addition to his work with the University of Chicago and in investment banking, Padgett also previously served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant in special operations.

A search committee selected Padgett after a national search. The committee, which Syverud chaired, included Steven Barnes, chairman emeritus of the Syracuse University board of trustees; Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer; J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation; Candace Campbell Jackson, senior VP and chief of staff; Elisabeth (Lisa) Fontenelli, a university trustee, former board of trustees finance committee chair, and chair of the Whitman Advisory Council; Edward Pettinella, board of trustees vice chair and board audit and risk committee chair; Jeffrey Scruggs, board of trustees finance committee chair and Maxwell Advisory Board member; and Professor Emily Stokes-Rees, director of the school of design in Syracuse’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.

“I want to thank fellow members of the search committee for their leadership and work in identifying an outstanding pool of candidates,” Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud said. “I also want to thank Gwenn Judge for serving as interim CFO since July of 2021. Gwenn has shepherded the University’s finances with great care through challenging times, and I am grateful for her service to Syracuse University.”

Judge assumed the interim role last September, following the departure of previous CFO, Rahnamay-Azar, who had joined Syracuse University in early 2017. During his time in Syracuse, Rahnamay-Azar oversaw nearly $300 million in university capital projects supporting the Campus Framework initiative. Several construction projects were completed, including the transformations of what is now the JMA Wireless Dome; Barnes Center at The Arch; the Schine Student Center; and building and opening the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.