UC Riverside Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox announced Monday that Gerry Bomotti, chief financial officer and vice chancellor for Planning and Budget, will take on the expanded duties of vice chancellor for Business and Administrative Services.
The announcement caps a months-long search to fill the position following the retirement of Ron Coley, who served as vice chancellor for Business and Administrative Services, or BAS, for four years before leaving last summer.
Wilcox said the division has already seen progress under Bomotti, who had been leading it on an interim basis, and he wanted to build on that momentum.
“His prudent oversight has resulted in improvements and efficiencies in all areas of the BAS portfolio,” Wilcox said. He added that Bomotti has put in place “a robust financial plan to help sustain BAS’s position as a central service provider for the campus.”
As part of the move, the two divisions under Bomotti’s purview will be merged, Wilcox said.
The Business and Administrative Services position involves overseeing a wide variety of campus business and support services, including financial accounting, human resources, payroll, purchasing, parking, police, emergency management, environmental health and safety, housing and dining services, and others.
As chief financial officer and vice chancellor for Planning and Budget, Bomotti’s portfolio already includes developing long-range financial budget plans, supporting overall asset management, facilities services, planning design and construction, real estate, and institutional research.
“I am very excited about taking on these additional responsibilities at UCR and am very appreciative of the chancellor’s confidence that I can service UCR well in this new role,” Bomotti said. “We will all work hard to serve UCR in the most efficient and effective way possible and give great priority to client service.”
Over the next few weeks, Wilcox, Bomotti, and Provost Cynthia K. Larive will consult with campus leadership and academic senate members as they work out the details of the merger. Bomotti said it should result in cost savings that will directly benefit faculty, staff, and students, but employees should not worry about any job cuts.
Bomotti said he has enjoyed getting to know the Business and Administrative Services staff and has had a wonderful experience working on campus over the past year.
He joined UCR in February 2018 with three decades of experience in senior executive roles at public universities across the country.
Bomotti previously held the position of senior vice president for Finance and Business at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and held similar roles at Colorado State University; University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; and University of Alaska.
“Over the past year, Gerry has quickly established himself as an experienced, trusted, and valued member of the UCR community,” Wilcox said. “Under his continued financial and administrative leadership, we are well-positioned to launch our next Long Range Development Plan and campus strategic plan, as well as work toward accomplishing our strategic goals in the years ahead.”
