New Wright State president hires executive from her previous college

Walter Branson, new Wright State vice president for finance and operations and chief business officer.

Walter Branson, new Wright State vice president for finance and operations and chief business officer.

Wright State University has created a new executive job to oversee budgeting, planning, internal audits and human resources.

The university has hired Walter Branson to be its vice president for finance and operations and chief business officer. Branson starts at WSU on Sept. 11 and comes from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri.

While there he served as vice chancellor for finance and operations under new Wright State president Cheryl Schrader.

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Due to Wright State’s financial position, the university “did not have the luxury of conducting an extended search,” according to a press release from the university.

Branson was hired through the university’s formal search waiver process. The emergency hiring committee also considered this appointment and deemed it a necessary and strategic investment, according to the university.

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Jeff Ulliman, Wright State vice president for business and finance will now report to Branson, spokesman Seth Bauguess said via email.

Branson has worked at Missouri S&T since 2013. Before that he worked for 20 years at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne as vice chancellor for financial affairs, according to WSU.

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