Kenneth Cody Named Vice Chancellor for Financial Affairs and Treasurer at the University System of New Hampshire

LEE, NH – July 1, 2009 – Kenneth Cody has been named vice chancellor for financial affairs and treasurer for the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) effective July 1, 2009. He has served in a variety of executive level capacities with USNH and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) since 1983, most recently as the chief financial officer and associate treasurer at USNH.

“Ken is an outstanding candidate to take on the duties of the vice chancellor and treasurer. His work is well-known and respected by the USNH trustees who oversee audit, investment, capital projects, and financial affairs functions of the University System. He has earned and enjoys the broad confidence of the constituencies that he serves and is held in very high regard among university business officers nationally,” said Ed MacKay, the USNH chancellor who formerly served as vice chancellor and treasurer.

As vice chancellor and treasurer, Cody will assume responsibility for internal audit, risk management, major contracts, capital projects, budgeting, investments, and treasury operations. He will also continue current duties as chief financial officer that span financial planning, accounting and reporting, purchasing, payroll, taxes, and debt financing.

“I am very pleased to bring my 26 years of USNH experience to the role of vice chancellor and treasurer and look forward to continuing to work with one of my favorite mentors, Ed MacKay. I plan to approach these responsibilities in the same manner I have approached all past roles -- with prudence, integrity and energy. My responsibility is to help provide a solid foundation to enable our faculty at the great institutions of UNH, Keene, Plymouth, and Granite State College to deliver excellent programs at the lowest cost, and I take that responsibility very seriously,” said Cody.

In his previous positions, Cody has been actively involved with financing plans for the 12-year, $1 billion capital renovation and construction program on the three residential campuses of USNH. He has issued bonds to raise capital and restructured debt several times during the global economic and credit crisis. In spite of the macroeconomics, he has helped USNH reduce its cost of capital and its risks while maintaining USNH’s strong A1/A+ bond rating. In fact, USNH recently earned published remarks from both Moody’s and S&P rating agencies of “strong financial management.” Among other accomplishments Cody is most proud of are his contributions to help redesign UNH’s administrative services and create regional business services centers; USNH’s implementation of its ERP computer system; and the collaborative work he does every day with his staff and each of the campuses’ financial officers to try to continuously improve operations while reducing costs.

Cody earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration with highest honors from Plymouth State University and a Master of Science in Finance from Bentley University. He began his career as a certified public accountant in the private sector and came to the University System in 1983 to serve as a senior internal auditor. He was promoted to controller in 1988 and from 1992-2001 worked at UNH as the assistant vice president for finance. He rejoined the University System in 2001 as the associate vice chancellor for finance and was promoted to CFO in 2006.

A resident of Madbury, New Hampshire, Cody has a track record of leadership in higher education professional associations. He presently serves as 1st Vice President of the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers, which represents over 650 institutions of higher education. In addition, he was recently named to the board of directors of the National Association of College and University Business Officers.