Luke Lybrand Nominated as Treasurer for University of Tennessee System

Knoxville — University of Tennessee System leaders have recommended Luke Lybrand to be treasurer for the University of Tennessee System. The UT Board of Trustees will consider his appointment during its Feb. 25 meeting at UT Southern.

Lybrand, currently the associate vice chancellor for treasury at the University of North Texas System, was selected following a national search. If he is appointed, his first day at UT will be April 1. He would replace Mark Paganelli, who retired in the fall.

“Luke emerged from a field of highly qualified candidates and will join a seasoned team of financial professionals,” Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David Miller said. “He brings a strong background in strategic financial analysis from the private sector as well as higher education management.”

The treasurer is responsible for financial accounting, cash management, financial reporting, endowment investment reporting, financial audits and compliance among other treasury functions. He will oversee procurement services and risk management while serving on the president’s financial leadership team. He also will serve as treasurer for the University of Tennessee Research Foundation.

“During the search process, I learned much about the University of Tennessee System’s influential history and I am honored to be recommended as the treasurer for such an inspiring organization,” Lybrand said. “If appointed, I look forward to joining the talented team of leaders across the UT System.”

Lybrand has worked for the University of North Texas System since 2015, ascending from treasurer manager to associate vice chancellor for treasury. In his current role, he chaired the UNT System’s Investment Advisory Committee and Retirement Plan Committee through the pandemic’s turbulence to market returns of 11.7 percent in fiscal year 2020 and 20.4 percent in fiscal year 2021, both in excess of strategic benchmarks. He innovatively sold tax credits to provide $10.9 million in funding due to extensive business-to-business marketing efforts. He leads the University System Business Development group and provided campus presidents and the system’s chancellor with analysis on investment opportunities, including long-range business and financial planning. He identified numerous efficiencies for the UNT System’s planned enterprise resource project implementation.

Prior to joining UNT, Lybrand worked for Region’s Bank as a portfolio manager/underwriter and Moody’s Investor Services as a credit ratings analyst. He earned his Bachelor of Political Science from Texas A&M University and his Master of Public Administration from University of North Texas.

Tags: David Miller, Featured, Finance and Administration, Luke Lybrand, UT Board of Trustees