FIU hires new CFO Kenneth Jessell

MIAMI (June 25, 2009) – Kenneth A. Jessell has been appointed senior vice president and chief financial officer at Florida International University, FIU President Modesto A. Maidique announced today.

 Jessell comes to FIU after more than 25 years at Florida Atlantic University, where he most recently served as senior vice president for financial affairs. In that position, Jessell was responsible for the overall management of financial and business operations of FAU. He was also an important negotiator in FAU’s acquisition of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute as well as in two of FAU’s key research partnerships with Scripps Florida and Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies.

 “I have known Dr. Jessell for over a decade and consider him one of the most experienced and successful public university financial strategists in the country,” said FIU President-designate Mark Rosenberg, noting that he is also an accomplished academic. “I worked closely with him during my tenure as chancellor and have an appreciation for Dr. Jessell’s breadth of experience, his ability to negotiate mutually beneficial partnerships and his financial acumen.”

 Rosenberg added that recruiting Jessell to the key position of CFO ensures that he will be able to keep his promise to the Board of Trustees to hit the ground running.

 “Dr. Jessell has extensive practical experience in managing state budget allocations and knows how to make every dollar count,” said Rosenberg, who will assume the FIU presidency August 3, 2009. “The financial stability of the university and our ability to find efficiencies so that we can continue to move forward in this difficult financial environment are central to our success.”

 Jessell succeeds Interim CFO John Miller, who has accepted the position of treasurer at the University of Missouri System. Jessell will join the FIU team on July 27.

 Prior to his current appointment at FAU, Jessell served as Associate University Provost in the Division of Academic Affairs (1994-1997) and as Associate Dean in the College of Business (1987-1994). From July 1, 2002 to March 30, 2004, Jessell served FAU as its Interim University Provost and Chief Academic Officer. Jessell was also Professor of Finance and Real Estate at FAU’s College of Business, where he started in 1983 as an assistant professor.

Kenneth Jessell

 As FIU’s CFO Jessell will be responsible for overall financial management of the university, as well as some administrative units such as construction and auxiliary businesses.

 “The principal factor in my decision to join the FIU team is the opportunity to work with Dr. Rosenberg to continue to grow FIU into one of the nation’s top public research universities,”” said Jessell. “He has remarkable vision and a very aggressive plan for FIU’s future. I believe I can contribute to the achievement of those goals.”

 Jessell holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science (1977), a Master of Business Administration Degree (1979) and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Finance (1985), all from Florida State University.

 Jessell has published 16 articles and abstracts in academic journals, including The Financial Review, Journal of Cash Management, The Appraisal Review, Housing Finance Review, Applied Economics and Journal of Financial Education.

-FIU-

Media contact: Maydel Santana-Bravo, 305-348-1555