The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has selected Gerald “Jerry” Ganz Jr. as the university’s new vice chancellor of finance and administration, effective Aug. 23.

“Jerry will be a tremendous asset to UA Little Rock,” Chancellor Christina Drale said. “His many years of experience in finance, his previous work at institutions of higher education, and his friendly, accessible communication style, all combine to make for a great fit with our institution. I am very pleased to have him joining our Trojan family.”

In his new role, Ganz will serve as the university’s chief financial officer and is responsible for the university’s budget and financial services. Additionally, he will oversee the departments of facilities management, public safety, information technology, mail services, and printing services.  

Ganz will join UA Little Rock from the University of Connecticut Foundation, where he served as senior vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer since 2015. He managed the foundation’s assets that totaled nearly $620 million and oversaw the accounting, investment, accounts payable, information technology, human resources, and facilities departments. 

A native of Waverly, Pennsylvania, Ganz said he is excited to join the UA Little Rock family during a pivotal time in higher education.

“There are numerous challenges in the industry, which have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. I look forward to addressing those and future challenges with the great team at UA Little Rock in order to provide the very best educational experience for the students attending the university,” he said. “To do so, we must be creative, flexible, and innovative in our approach, while balancing progress with fiscal responsibility. I look forward to working with every one of the hard-working employees in the Finance and Administration division and across the university to continue to advance the mission of UA Little Rock.”

Ganz has a long history of running the financial side at institutions of higher education. He has served as the chief financial officer at the Florida State University Foundation, controller at Eckerd College, and chief financial officer at Johnson College. He also worked a number of years as a controller, field auditor, and senior accountant in the private industry.

Ganz has served as a member of the Investment Advisory Board for the UConn School of Business Student Managed Fund and the National Committee for College and University Foundations. He is also a volunteer for numerous youth sports programs in Abington, Pennsylvania, and Ellington, Connecticut.

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Connecticut Society of CPAs, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, National Association of College and University Business Officers, University Foundational Financial Officers, and Northeast Foundation Financial Officers.

Ganz is a certified public accountant and a chartered global management accountant. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from Florida State University.

Ganz and his wife Elena are the proud parents of four children, Dustin, Isabella, C.J., and Olivia.