2023 NASPA Florida Drive-In Conference

Gerald L. Hector, CPA is currently Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. He also held similar positions in higher education at Morehouse College, Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Johnson C. Smith University. His experiences span all aspects of higher education management that include, treasurer, debt management, controller’s office, information technology, post award management, policy office, student accounts/bursar, facilities, grounds, business operations, auxiliary services, risk management, purchasing and procurement, legal, financial aid, campus safety, compliance, and public private partnerships. He has also served as a liaison with local elected officials for construction projects.

With over twenty-four years of progressive leadership in finance and operations in higher education, he is known for his collaborative and focused leadership style that garners trust and builds confidence in his divisions and units to deliver on the mission of the institutions he serves.
In addition to being a finance and operations professional, he is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion after being thrusted into this work after racial tensions on college campuses across the nation in the fall of 2015. He hosted and appeared on national webinars, podcasts, and other media to continue sharing the message that diversity, equity and inclusion are not only moral issues, but given the continuing changing demographics in the nation, they are economic variables that must be addressed in a comprehensive way for the future financial health and vibrancy of institutions of higher education.

He is a published author and has written several articles and white papers that are still must reads. His landmark white paper, “Navigating the New Normal, Financial Imperatives for MSI Effectiveness and Avoiding Financial Exigency” is still read extensively by MSI leaders and stakeholders. His first published book, “It’s Easy Son, Quit Making Things Difficult” (It's Easy 'Son', Quit Making Things Difficult: Lasting Life Lessons from a Coach and Mentor: Hector, Gerald: 9781732478114: Amazon.com: Books) chronicles his journey from Kingston, Jamaica on a track and field scholarship to the varied roles he has occupied including Deloitte and UNCF. The book birthed a podcast of the same name, that features, corporate leaders, college presidents, Olympians, spiritual leaders, and educators. The show airs every Wednesday at 8pm on the HBCU Nation Radio Network and attracts an international audience (Stream TheHBCUNation | Listen to IT'S EASY SON-Life Lessons on the Journey to Your Promise with Gerald Hector playlist online for free on SoundCloud).

He is a sought-after speaker on matters of higher education finances and operations and continues to give back to the industry by offering his services as a peer reviewer with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and as a mentor and advisor of the Educational Leadership Internship at Clark Atlanta University.