Richard Mills, executive dean for administration at Harvard Medical School, was named Dartmouth's new executive vice president and chief financial officer on Tuesday. As the College's third-highest administrator, Mills will work with President Phil Hanlon and the provost, a position currently filled by vice provost Martin Wybourne, to shape the College's annual operating budget, which currently exceeds $950 million.
Mills will assume his new role next month, succeeding vice president for finance Mike Wagner, who served as interim chief financial officer after Steven Kadish moved to Northeastern University last year.
In addition to managing the budget, the CFO and executive vice president, a dual role historically filled by one administrator, involves overseeing the College's financial profile, managing facilities across campus and supervising information technology and human resources, search committee chair Joseph Helble said.
Mills said his most important job will be to support Hanlon in his transition. The two still need to meet to "iron out the details" of his day-to-day responsibilities, he said.
Part of his role is enabling the aspirations of students, faculty and trustees and contribute ideas to their vision for the College.
"It's definitely a support function," he said. "If someone says they want to go somewhere, I help them get to it."
Mills hopes to work closely with undergraduates. At Harvard, he worked exclusively with graduate and medical students.
He plans to tackle the issues of affordability and accessibility.
"It will require dialogue, collaboration and problem solving across a number of different areas on how to approach it," he said.
Mills' law experiences pushed him toward management, he said. As a litigation attorney, Mills often handled problems that could have been solved with proper management techniques.
"Having the perspective of litigation is useful to know where things can end up if you let them get there," he said. "It makes you more mindful and thoughtful of what you do."
At Harvard, where he has worked since 2005, Mills managed administrative operations and previously served as associate dean for planning and facilities and dean for operations and business.
Mills was one of several individuals on a "very short list" compiled by the five-person search committee and presented to Hanlon, who made the final decision, Helble said.
He added that Mills' experience at Harvard gave him an a "educational mission and a research mission," which will translate well into his duties at Dartmouth. Mills oversaw a $655 million dollar budget at Harvard, and Dartmouth's budget consists of approximately $950 million, he said.
"His experience is a perfect match for the things that he'll be responsible for here at Dartmouth," Helble said.
Helble added that Mills will likely make his role more visible on campus.
"He won't be sitting quietly in his office doing the numbers," he said. "He's going to be engaging with faculty, engaging with staff."
Mills has met with Hanlon several times as they enter their positions.
"He's an excellent listener, which in any leader is incredibly important," he said. "And he is very collaboratively oriented."
Before entering higher education, Mills worked as the department director for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the principal of a strategic consulting firm. He attended Hamilton College and received a law degree from Boston University.
He said he is looking forward to his move to Hanover.
"I've already found Dirt Cowboy Caf and Morano Gelato, so I feel well prepared," he said.
