Dear Pitt students, faculty and staff,
I am delighted to announce that Dwayne Pinkney (GSPIA ’87) will return to his alma mater later this summer as the University of Pittsburgh’s executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance and chief financial officer, pending approval from the Board of Trustees. Dr. Pinkney brings to this role a long-standing commitment to shared governance and more than two decades of experience in a range of fiscal and operational roles, knowledge and strategic focus. I’m excited for him to join the University’s senior leadership team and provide expert counsel on financial objectives and policies, including administrative initiatives and programs that support the priorities in the University’s strategic plan, the Plan for Pitt 2028. This newly created role combines the responsibilities of the offices of the CFO and Business and Operations under Dr. Pinkney. Additional details about the integration will be shared in the coming weeks.
Dr. Pinkney comes to us from Indiana University, where he serves as the inaugural executive vice president for finance and administration and leads the finance and administration organization. Prior to this role, he worked at Virginia Tech University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the senior vice president and chief business officer and the chief financial officer and senior associate vice chancellor for finance and administration, respectively. He began his career in the North Carolina General Assembly as an analyst and served as the deputy secretary for administration with the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism at North Carolina A&T State University, a master’s degree in public administration at Pitt and a Ph.D. in political science at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
I hope you will join me in congratulating Dr. Pinkney and thanking our search chair, Geovette Washington, senior vice chancellor and chief legal officer. We’re also grateful to the entire search committee for its incredible service, as well as to Thurman Wingrove, who expertly stepped into the CFO role on an interim basis and will resume his full-time duties as controller and continue to provide stability to our financial operations.
I would also like to recognize and extend my deep, sincere appreciation to Dave DeJong for his leadership of Business and Operations over the last four years. In this role and across his service to Pitt, he has exemplified a shared passion and enthusiasm for higher education that are evident to all who know him. I am grateful for his partnership and willingness to step up in whatever way was needed, including his work to ensure this integration unfolds smoothly and sets the University up for success.
Hail to Pitt!
With warm regards,
Joan Gabel