Provost Dr. John Wiencek nears a first year of impact, change
Dr. John Wiencek, executive vice president and provost, joined the University leadership team last April at a fast pace. Named to his post in April as the University was managing seismic shifts brought about via the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges, his early leadership has made sizable impact.
A native of the Portage Lakes area, Dr. Wiencek has a lead role in UA’s strategic planning process effort in addition to directing the Office of Academic Affairs and strengthening and expanding UA’s research footprint.
“I am thrilled to be back in Northeast Ohio and to serve The University of Akron in this capacity,” said Dr. Wiencek. “This institution has always been in my view and on my mind. It is a leader among the urban-serving universities in the country and I am excited by the possibility of UA emerging from COVID-19 with renewed energy and strength as a community.”
Dr. Wiencek joins UA from the University of Idaho where he was provost and executive vice president. His previous academic posts include service at Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of South Florida and the University of Iowa.
Mr. Dallas Grundy Joins UA as Senior V.P., C.F.O.
Mr. Dallas A. Grundy has recently joined The University of Akron as the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. A respected entrepreneur and leader in the higher education industry, Mr. Grundy will provide leadership, management and oversight of all activities within UA’s finance and administration division and serve as treasurer and chief financial officer of The UA Foundation. He will also work with various internal and external constituencies to improve the effectiveness of the University’s financial and business operations in its efforts to become more innovative and strategic in its financial practices.
Before joining UA Grundy previously served as Vice Dean and CFO of the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he led the strategic operations and management of the School’s more than $400 million endowment and budgets for more than 30 departments, offices and institutes. His change implementation efforts there included a campus-wide initiative that provided new access to gift and endowment reporting tools to support effectiveness and efficiency. Grundy’s higher education experience also includes nine years as associate dean of finance and administration at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Education, as well as director of business affairs at Somerset Christian College in Somerset, N.J.
A graduate of Rutgers University, Grundy earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the School of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in Management Information Systems and Marketing from Rutgers Business School. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Rowan University.