Clayton Gibson named vice president for finance and administration and CFO

Monday, April 26, 2021 - 08:27

DENTON (UNT), Texas — Clayton Gibson, a licensed Certified Public Accountant with a demonstrated history of driving transformation through the engagement of teams and technology, was selected to oversee finance and administration at the University of North Texas.

Gibson, whose appointment is effective June 7, will oversee the development and execution of UNT’s budget, while also supporting its academic and research mission by providing quality financial, business and administrative services to all of the university’s divisions.  

“As UNT continues its efforts to provide better affordability and access for all students, it is crucial our chief financial officer possesses a student-first mindset and works collaboratively with colleagues across the university to achieve our strategic goals,” President Neal Smatresk said. “Clayton is a rising star in higher education finance, and I believe UNT’s momentum will benefit from his fiscal acumen, compassionate supervision and ability to focus on process improvement.”

Gibson replaces Bob Brown, who is retiring May 7 after seven years as UNT’s chief financial officer and 41 years in higher education.

Gibson said he is excited to join an innovative Tier One research university.

“UNT is obviously committed to serving all students, as evidenced by its designations as a Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving Institution, but I was also impressed by the large number of areas in which the university was outperforming and innovating, and the sincerity of the president in making the campus a caring community for all students and employees. I’m thrilled to become part of the UNT family,” Gibson said.

ABOUT CLAYTON GIBSON

Clayton Gibson, a licensed Certified Public Accountant, comes to the University of North Texas from Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Alabama.

After transitioning to higher education from a career in public accounting, Gibson has fulfilled progressive leadership roles and currently serves as senior vice president for finance and administration. In this role, he served as senior personnel officer managing 520 full-time employees, quadrupled institutional cash on hand through robust budgeting and process improvement, oversaw growth of the annual budget by 33% from $150M to $200M, externally secured over $100M for new construction projects, and invested $80M to renovate aging campus infrastructure, both physical and technological.

Other positions held during Gibson’s tenure at Alabama A&M University include vice president for business and finance, university auditor and assistant professor of accounting. He also is a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges committee chair and special reader for finance.

Prior to his time in higher education, Gibson served in management positions at Ernst & Young, LLP where he was an audit manager and provided consultation to clients in various industries. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Southern Association of College and University Business Officers.

Gibson earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and his master’s in accountancy from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108

Media Contacts:

Devynn D. Case
Devynn.Case@unt.edu
940-565-3509