Margo Steurbaut, vice president for finance at the University of Southern California (USC), has been appointed Caltech's vice president for administration and chief financial officer. She will formally assume the position on July 5, 2016, succeeding Dean Currie, who is retiring as vice president for business and finance at the end of June.
"In her role as the Institute's principal administrative and financial officer, Margo will guide the efficient delivery of services to create competitive advantage in research and infrastructure and to ensure that Caltech's financial position remains secure," says Caltech president Thomas F. Rosenbaum, the Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and professor of physics. "She has big shoes to fill, but Margo's talent, broad experience, and ability to inspire colleagues, will make a demonstrable difference at the Institute."
Steurbaut will oversee financial services and procurement, audit services and institute compliance, facilities, human resources, information management systems and services, research administration, and security and parking. In addition, she will act as the campus administrative liaison to the Athenaeum and serve as the primary liaison to three Board of Trustee committees: Business and Finance, Audit and Compliance, and Buildings and Grounds.
A committee composed of Caltech trustees, faculty, senior administrative leaders, and a member of the JPL executive council conducted an extensive search and recommended Steurbaut to President Rosenbaum.
Steurbaut has more than 20 years of experience in business, finance, and operations within higher education. She joined USC in 1993 as director of finance and accounting for auxiliary services and in 2000 became senior associate dean for business and financial affairs at the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the largest and oldest of the USC schools.
In 2005, Steurbaut moved into central administration to serve as associate university budget director and associate vice president and then was named associate senior vice president in 2006. She has served as USC's vice president for finance since 2008. In that role, she led the team responsible for the university's $4.5 billion annual operating budget, oversaw all treasury functions, administered the university's health plans, and provided quarterly updates to the finance committee of the USC Board of Trustees. She is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Illinois State University and a master's degree from USC's Marshall School of Business.
Written by Ramanuj Basu