Senior Vice President, Operations

Derek Howe (Questrom ‘92)  has spent the greater part of his career at Boston University serving in various financial operations management and leadership roles.  He joined Boston University in 1996 as Manager of Finance and Classroom Operations and was promoted in 1999 to Director of Fiscal Affairs in the Office of Business Affairs where he oversaw the development of financial tools to manage the capital planning and budget processes.

Derek served as Assistant to the Executive Vice President from 2003 – 2009 where he functioned as financial and operations advisor to the EVP.   In October 2009 he was promoted to Associate Vice President for Budget and Capital Planning assuming oversight for the University’s annual budget and capital planning processes.  Derek was promoted in July 2011 to Vice President for Budget, Planning and Business Affairs.  During his tenure in this role Derek broadened his portfolio to include Business Affairs – supporting all fiscal, business and administrative matters within Operations as well as leading financial planning and budgetary efforts associated with key ad hoc and strategic initiatives.   Most recently, Derek led the financial and budgetary reviews related to the merger with Wheelock College in 2018 and financial contingency planning efforts for the University’s Covid-19 Recovery Organization in 2020.

As Senior Vice President for Operations, Derek and his team below have oversight and leadership responsibilities Auxiliary Services; Budget, Planning & Business Affairs; Campus Planning & Operations and University Sustainability.

Operations Leadership Team

Kris Klinger, Vice President for Auxiliary Services, leads the University’s many and complex auxiliary operations serving our community, including but not limited to the student housing and dining operations, transportation, vending, conferences, and other supporting enterprises such as the Campus Convenience Stores, Agganis Arena, the Fitness & Recreation Center, and Barnes & Noble @ BU.

Ines Garrant, Vice President for Budget, Planning & Business Affairs, jointly reports to Mr. Howe and the University Provost, guiding and supporting the University’s strategic and operating budget and capital planning processes, including oversight of Campus, Planning and Operations business affairs activities.

Dennis Carlberg, Associate Vice President for University Sustainability, facilitates University-wide discussion and efforts to integrate sustainable thinking and action into BU’s academic, research, student life, and business affairs.

Walt Meissner, Associate Vice President for Operations, oversees and coordinates high-visibility campus improvements on behalf of the Senior Vice President, including serving as Project Executive for such major construction projects as the Yawkey Center for Student Services, the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering, the Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre and College of Fine Arts Production Center, the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (renovation and expansion), and the Center for Computing & Data Sciences.

Kelly A. Nee, Chief Safety, Security and Preparedness Officer oversees Boston University’s Emergency Management Department, Police Department, Medical Campus Public Safety, and the safety department of the National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory.