Senior Vice President, Operations

Gary W. Nicksa, BS, MST, CPA, joined Boston University in 2005, following a 25-year career of financial and operations management in education and industry, including serving as the chief financial officer for Newbury College and for Buckingham Browne and Nichols School, Vice President for Finance at Keith Properties, Inc, and, most recently, senior vice president for The Chickering Group, an Aetna Company.

His more visible projects at BU have included the Center for Student Services on the Charles River Campus and the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) on the Medical Campus.  The Center for Student Services links complementary academic advising programs for undergraduates within a single facility as well as adding a new 1,000 seat dining hall to replace three undersized and outdated locations.

Promoted to Senior Vice President in July 2011, Nicksa assumed additional oversight for student housing, dining, other auxiliary activities, and the university’s budget development and planning while continuing his responsibilities for campus planning, real estate development, facility services, and business affairs of the professional schools located on the Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC).

Operations Leadership Team:

Peter Smokowski, Vice President for Auxiliary Services, leads the University’s many and complex auxiliary operations serving our community, including but not limited to the student housing and dining operations, transportation, vending, conferences, and other supporting enterprises such as the Campus Convenience Stores, Agganis Arena, the Fitness and Recreation Center, and Barnes & Noble @ BU.  View Auxiliary Services

Derek Howe, Vice President for Budget & Capital Planning, jointly reports to Mr. Nicksa and the University Provost, guiding and supporting the University’s strategic and budget planning processes, including oversight of all institutional research activities.

Michael Donovan, Senior Associate Vice President for Real Estate Planning & Services manages the University’s real estate portfolio – buying, selling, leasing, developing, and managing the commercial, institutional, and residential properties on our two campuses as well as international properties.  Currently leads the University’s institutional master planning initiative defining long-term campus priorities.

Tom Daley, Associate Vice President for Facilities Management & Planning, oversees the University’s complex physical environment that includes planning and design, construction, repair and maintenance of the nearly 300 buildings on the Charles River Campus as well as assistance and coordinated support on Boston University’s Medical Campus.

Walt Meissner, Associate Vice President for Operations, oversees and coordinates a number of major projects on behalf of the Senior Vice President including serving as Project Executive for construction of the new Student Services Center at 100 Bay State Road and working with senior leadership on coordinating and directing other capital and strategic planning projects of interest.

Paul Rinaldi, Assistant Vice President for Space Planning, jointly reports to the Senior Vice President and the Associate Vice President for Facilities Management and Planning to direct and coordinate a staff of professional space planners and designers serving academic and administrative clients throughout the University.  In addition, oversees the engagement of consultants and external architectural firms as necessary to meet project demands.

Anne Shea, Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President, oversees both long-term administrative projects and short-term strategic assignments on behalf of the Senior Vice President and, on loan by the Senior Vice President, on behalf of other members of the University leadership.  Provides research and analyses, and prepares reports directed to executive leadership.