By Farris Willingham, Editor-in-Chief
The chief financial officer announced March 15 that he plans to leave the university at the end of June.
Brian Holland, an OCU alumnus employed at the university since 2000, said he will leave his post to spend more time with his children.
“I have eight kids between the ages of 7 months and 13 years,” he said.
His job does not allot enough time to be involved in the children’s extracurricular interests, which include piano, soccer and basketball, Holland said.
“It’s getting pretty busy at my house,” he said. “Going to the kids’ extracurricular events is becoming more important to me right now than having a job at OCU.
“I want to spend more time with my kids than the job at OCU allows me to.”
Officials will assemble a search committee to find a replacement, and Holland will aid in the transition.
Craig Knutson, chief of staff, said the team will convene April 4 to discuss the search and update the job description for the chief financial officer position.
Knutson, who was hired in January 2011, worked closely with Holland on two university budgets.
“He was a great guy to teach me how the university budget process works,” Knutson said. “Brian knows plenty of people on campus and works effectively with them.
“He’s one of your invaluable types of people—not irreplaceable, because everyone’s replaceable, but definitely invaluable.”
Holland graduated from the university in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in accounting.
He began working at the university in 2000 as the accounting and budgeting director, where he reported to the vice president of finance and administration.
Holland became the university’s first chief financial officer in 2005 when the vice president retired. Since then he supervised the planning and management for business services, student accounts, facilities operations, and construction.
Some of Holland’s accomplishments include helping to restructure the university’s bonds, serving on various university committees and assisting in building projects, such as the Meinders School of Business, Wanda L. Bass Music Center, Oklahoma United Methodist Hall, and Aduddell Fitness Center.
“Working with many outstanding and capable colleagues and trustees, I am proud of what we have accomplished since 2000 when I started working at Oklahoma City University,” Holland said. “I wish everyone at OCU—my friends and family—the best.”
Holland said he is uncertain about his future employment, but might search for a position in the accounting or business fields.
“I’d love to not start working until the kids go back to school in the fall,” he said. “I haven’t come up with anything.
“It sounds like I don’t have a plan, but I trust things will work out.”
Leave a Reply