Citing Saint Mary's strong reputation as an undergraduate institution as a draw to the area, Richard Speller takes on his new position as vice president for Finance and Administration at the College.
Speller has worked as the vice president of Finance and Administration at DePauw University, vice president for Finance and Treasurer at Arcadia University and vice president for Business Affairs at Jamestown College. While fulfilling his duties at the College, Speller remains interim chief financial officer at DePauw.
"The vice president for Finance and Administration (VPFA) serves as the College's chief financial officer, oversees all matters related to the administrative and financial management of the College and is the primary steward of Saint Mary's financial, human and physical resources. The VPFA is responsible for the supervision of the financial and administrative functions of the College," Speller said of his new role. "The VPFA is also responsible for providing the leadership and vision necessary to develop and oversee prudent fiscal strategies that assure continued financial strength of the College including short- and long-range financial planning and analysis, modeling and investment management."
The new vice president said he wants to "further the success of Saint Mary's College as it seeks to achieve its next, higher level of institutional aspiration."
"Saint Mary's College does a lot of things very well, and I would hope to contribute to the continuing evolution of the [College]," Speller said.
Speller was drawn to the position at Saint Mary's because of the College's "outstanding reputation."
He said he wanted to continue to work at a "selective private college in a more urban setting."
As for the current economic recession, Speller said the College has been affected "just as it has put financial pressure on all of higher education and families across the country."
Because of this, he said, there is a stronger demand for "good management practices."
However rough the economy may be right now, Speller says that Saint Mary's has "the strength and capability to weather these recessionary pressures."
