The University of North Carolina Wilmington announced today that Miles Lackey, a longtime chief of staff to Auburn President Steven Leath, has been named vice chancellor for business affairs following a national search.
Lackey, who started his job at Auburn earlier this year, will now return to where he began working with Leath, who was vice president of research for the 16-campus UNC system.
“Miles has done a great job in his short time here at Auburn,” Leath said in a statement to The Plainsman. “We wish him the best in his new venture as he returns to his native North Carolina.”
According to the UNC chancellor Jose Sartarelli, Lackey will bring experience in higher education, private industry and political affairs to UNCW.
Lackey previously served as director of federal affairs for the UNC system before moving to Iowa State University to be Leath’s chief of staff.
“Miles Lackey’s broad professional background will benefit our university’s commitment to growth with quality,” Sartarelli said. “Miles previously served at Auburn University, Iowa State University, UNC-Chapel Hill and the UNC System, and we expect him to excel at UNCW as well. We look forward to welcoming him to the Seahawk family on April 30.”
Lackey said in a November interview with The Plainsman that he values higher education deeply. He was the first man in his family to graduate from college and grew up in a single-parent household. He was one of three children.
“I watched my [mother] struggle, and I watched her really have to work incredibly hard to support us three kids,” Lackey said. “She told me early on, ‘Hey, look. I don’t have a lot of options because I don’t have a college degree.’”
Lackey will serve as the university’s chief business and financial officer. He will oversee endowment investments, lead UNCW’s budget development process by preparing financial statements, collaborate with other vice chancellors and the chancellor on funding opportunities for strategic initiatives, manage associated organizations and their financial accounting, reporting and audits, serve as the key contact for federal, state and local audits and coordinate business and financial matters with the Business Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.
Lackey also served as the CFO in conjunction with his role as chief of staff at ISU. Before becoming the director of federal relations for the UNC system, he directed the Office of Federal Affairs at UNC-Chapel Hill.
In 2003, Lackey began a three-year stint as a legislative aide for then-Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-North Carolina.
“I welcome the opportunity to join the team at UNCW, an innovative university with a well-respected reputation for high-quality teaching, research and service to both North Carolina and the nation,” Lackey said. “I look forward to collaborating with the outstanding staff in the Division for Business Affairs as we develop new and exciting ways to continue supporting UNCW’s mission, vision and values.”
Lackey holds an M.B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina.
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