The Citadel names Thomas Elzey its first executive vice president
April 5, 2011
CHARLESTON, SC – April 5, 2011 – Thomas J. Elzey has been named the college’s first executive vice president for finance, administration and operations. He will be The Citadel’s senior, non-academic vice president, and will hold the rank of brigadier general in the South Carolina Militia.
Elzey, the first African American named to a senior level position at The Citadel, will work closely with the provost, who remains the No. 2 college official and serves as the chief academic officer.
“Tom Elzey is a skilled fiscal strategist with more than 25 years of experience managing the finances of complex organizations and institutions,” said Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, president of The Citadel. “Tom has the vision and leadership to build The Citadel’s financial model for the 21st century. With his help the college will emerge from these tough fiscal times a stronger institution, even more capable of realizing its vision of excellence in the education of principled leaders.”
Elzey, who will serve as the college’s chief operations officer, will supervise the vice presidents for facilities and engineering and external affairs in addition to campus financial officers and the directors of auxiliary services, human resources, information technology, procurement, public safety, governmental/community relations, and infirmary operations. Elzey also will serve as the staff liaison to the Board of Visitors Finance Committee and to The Citadel Trust.
“I am honored to have the opportunity of working at a college so well known for its focus on honor, leadership and academic excellence,” said Elzey. “I want to help put The Citadel on the most solid fiscal foundation possible so that we can grow in our capacity to provide principled leaders to the Lowcountry, South Carolina and our nation.”
Elzey comes to The Citadel from Drexel University where he has served as senior vice president for finance, chief financial officer and treasurer. Drexel enrolls more than 20,000 students and
has been ranked one of the best national doctoral universities by “U.S. News & World Report.” Previous to Drexel, Elzey worked at Howard University, reaching the position of senior vice president and chief financial officer, where he oversaw a $655 million operating budget.
Elzey also brings to The Citadel extensive public sector experience. He was deputy executive director for finance for the Resolution Trust Corp., which was created by Congress to liquidate the assets and pay depositors of 750 failed savings and loan institutions. Elzey also served as general manager and chief executive officer of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission which administered rail and water utilities with 5,500 employs and a total budget of nearly $500 million. He also was budget director in the Office of Budget and Management for the City of Chicago.
As vice president of Perry Investment, Elzey managed the firm’s San Francisco office. His duties included municipal bond underwriting, financial advisory services and the coordination of banking relationships in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose and the Chicago region. He began his career in the federal government where he served as senior policy analyst for the Office of Management and Budget.
Elzey earned his master’s degree in Public Management and Policy from Carnegie Mellon University, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Bradley University.
Elzey’s annual salary will be $250,000, of which $180,000 is paid by the state and $70,000 is paid through private donations from The Citadel Foundation. He will begin his duties at The Citadel on May 16.
