Best Turns to Hawley to Provide Leadership as Vice President of Finance and Operations

By Jeff Murphy, March 25, 2019

WARRENSBURG, MO – Since beginning work at the University of Central Missouri Aug. 16, 2018, Wilbert “Bill” Hawley has used his background and experience to assist campus leadership in charting a course toward financial sustainability. After considering his excellent performance and contributions on numerous initiatives over the last eight months, UCM President Roger Best today announced the appointment of Hawley as UCM’s Vice President for Finance and Operations, effective April 1.

Hawley, who previously resided in Ellingham, Ill., came to the university as Interim Chief Financial Officer having more than 28 years of professional experience that includes senior-level financial management in the healthcare industry. When Best became interim president in August 2018, he appointed Hawley to temporarily assume responsibilities he handled in his previous role as UCM’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. As president, Best is turning to Hawley to continue the momentum that he has brought to UCM in a short time.

"I am grateful for Bill’s willingness to remain a member of the leadership team for the longer-term.  He has demonstrated the ability to work collaboratively with university stakeholders to move forward critical initiatives, including revising fiscal procedures and finalizing the new financial allocation model,” Best said. “As we implement this new RCM (Responsibility Centered Management)-based financial model, Bill’s experience in organizational efficiency and effectiveness will be instrumental in creating a sustainable financial and operating platform for UCM and driving greater use of data analytics in our decision-making processes."

Since his arrival at UCM, Hawley has managed university infrastructure, reporting and compliance operations while providing leadership in the Finance and Administration Division. His responsibilities encompass oversight in areas such as Facilities Planning and Operations, Human Resources, Accounting and Financial Services, Budget Planning and Administration, Office of Technology, and University Analytics and Institutional Research. He assists in ensuring UCM is in compliance with federal, state, and institutional fiscal and legal statutes and policies, while also serving as a member of the Strategic Leadership Team, President’s Council, and Budget Work Group.

“I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to continue as a member of the leadership team,” Hawley said in talking about his vice presidential appointment. “I appreciate the confidence President Best has in me and look forward to continuing the initiatives currently in motion as well as meeting the opportunities and challenges facing UCM in the future.”

Hawley previously worked for 12 years in the St. Louis area as CFO for GPS Healthcare Consultants, a healthcare consulting company that targets services for the post-acute continuum of care; and Assistant Vice President- Finance and Director of Budget Analysis for Rehabcare Group Inc., a provider of temporary healthcare staffing and therapy program management services.

He most recently served as Director of Finance, responsible for day-to-day operations of the finance/accounting department, registration, supply chain for HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, a 133-bed regional healthcare provider in Effingham. In that capacity he was involved in strategic planning, policy formulation and decision making. He provided oversight in the area of general accounting, including payroll and accounts payable, as well as financial planning analysis and reporting, including budget, reimbursement and decision support.

Hawley also worked in Des Moines, Iowa, as reimbursement specialist for Broadlawns Medical Center, a 200-bed county-owned hospital, and served as senior auditor at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, a fiscal intermediary for the Medicare program. He was an instructor for graduate-level accounting and finance courses at the University of Phoenix in St. Louis, and an instructor for undergraduate business courses at East Central College in Union. Hawley earned a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree from Southern Illinois University.