New executive vice president named

Ellen Herbst, a Delaware native and alumna of the University of Delaware, has been named UD's new executive vice president for finance and administration, effective July 1, President Laura Carlson announced today.

"With more than 40 years of experience in higher education, government and the corporate sector, Ellen returns to her alma mater with an outstanding record of leadership and achievement that will serve her well in this role at UD," Carlson said.

Since 2017, Herbst has served as senior vice chancellor for administration and finance at the University System of Maryland, working directly with the system's 12 institutions and three regional centers. She had previously served as chief financial officer and assistant secretary for administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"As a proud Blue Hen, I've always held the University of Delaware in the highest regard because of its distinguished faculty, dedicated staff members and amazing students," Herbst said. "I'm honored to have this new opportunity to serve the University that I love."

At UD, Herbst will oversee the offices of Budget and Finance; Emergency Management, Health and Safety; Facilities Services and Campus Planning; Human Resources; Information Technologies; Investment; and the Police Department.

About Ellen Herbst

At the University System of Maryland, Herbst oversees strategic planning, performance and accountability, enrollment management, operating budget, finance and comptroller, debt management and financial reporting, endowment administration and oversight, capital planning and development, information technology, institutional research and information management, financial and administrative policy development, real property and procurement, and human resources. The University System has 12 universities, three regional centers, more than 176,000 students and an annual operating budget of more than $7.9 billion.

Herbst led the University System's first enterprise risk management and crisis management planning and implementation. She also led implementation of metrics tracking as part of the institution's strategic plan, which is informing decisions about enrollment, budgeting, investments and other critical functions.

Prior to her positions in the U.S. Commerce Department, she served as an executive at Spectra Systems Corp., Virtual Compliance Inc., Giesecke & Devrient America Inc. and the DuPont Company.

Herbst earned her MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Accounting from the University of Delaware.