Vice President for Financial Affairs Recognized as Top CFO

Dorothy Russell won the award for a nonprofit organization at the South Florida Business Journal’s 2016 CFO Awards event.

From left, Matt Shore of Steven Douglas Associates; Dorothy Russell, FAU's vice president for financial affairs and winner of the nonprofit organizations category; Scott Allman of Aon; and Melanie Dickinson. Photo courtesy of the South Florida Business Journal


By joshua glanzer | 1/29/2016

Dorothy Russell, Florida Atlantic University’s vice president for financial affairs and chief financial officer, won the Top CFO Award for a nonprofit organization at the South Florida Business Journal’s (SFBJ) 2016 CFO Awards event at the Hyatt Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale.

According to the SFBJ, “These are the leaders who help grow their organization by using winning strategies developed after years of experience in the finance industry.”

At FAU, Russell oversees the financial operations of a large state university that operates four campuses and two research facilities, employs thousands and is estimated to have an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. 

“I am truly honored to be recognized,” Russell said. “I am most proud of the hard work I do, my desire for excellence, my ability to lead by example, and in the contributions I have made to grow and strengthen FAU.”

Throughout her nearly 40-year career, Russell has gained experience in resource planning, analysis, budgeting and risk assessment and has extensive experience in sponsored research administration, institutional analysis and campus security and budget administration.

Before joining FAU, Russell was vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Michigan-Flint and assistant director for finance and administration at the Institute for Social Research, a comprehensive research enterprise at the University of Michigan.

She possesses an A.B. from the University of Michigan, a certificate from the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education, Harvard University, and has completed graduate work at the Horace Rackham School of Graduate Studies, University of Michigan. 

She was one of three nominees in the nonprofit category. Other categories included public and private companies. In all, there were 14 nominees for the various categories. A slide show from the event can be seen here, and more information about the 2016 CFO awards is available for paid subscription holders on the SFBJ website.

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