University of Vermont

The University of Vermont has named Richard H. Cate interim vice president for finance and administration, the university announced Friday, May 16.

Cate has served as commissioner of education for the Vermont Department of Education since 2003, leading a state agency responsible for all aspects of pre-K through 12 education and adult literacy with budget of $1.4 billion and a staff of over 180. Prior to that he served as chief operating officer for the New York State Education Department from 1997 to 2003, where he directed all aspects of operations for a state agency with a budget of over $19 billion and a staff of 3,200. He also served as chief financial officer for the department from 1996 to 2000, administering a $16 billion budget, supervising a staff of 450, and working with representatives of the executive and legislative branches of government on all aspects of education finance. Cate was also city manager for the town of Barre, Vt. for five years during the 1980s.

"Richard is a seventh-generation Vermonter who comes to us with a stellar reputation for clear and direct communication, effective organizational leadership, and the highest ethical standards," said Daniel Mark Fogel, president of the University of Vermont. "He has dealt with numerous complex and difficult challenges throughout his career, including as a top administrator and chief financial officer in the public education arena, and I believe he is exactly what UVM needs at this important time. We are thrilled that Richard has agreed to join the UVM community, and I know you will welcome him with warmth and enthusiasm."

"I am grateful to President Fogel for this wonderful opportunity to serve the UVM community," Cate said. "I have long understood the importance of the university to Vermont and the world beyond our borders, and I look forward to working with everyone at UVM to make it an even better place to learn."

Cate holds a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Vermont and worked as an engineer in both the private and public sectors. He holds a masters of public administration from Rockefeller College at the University of Albany and has completed coursework and comprehensive exams for a Ph.D. in Public Administration with a Public Finance concentration at that institution. He has served as a lecturer at UVM since 2005, teaching masters level courses in budgeting and financial management, state administration, and local government administration.