Richard P. "Dick" Siemer, chief of staff for administrative services at Duke University, will begin his new post as Ohio University's next vice president for finance and treasurer on Aug. 4. Siemer replaces William Kennard, who is retiring after a 31-year career at OU.

As the university's chief fiscal manager and investment officer, Siemer will oversee an annual expenditure budget of more than $350 million. He also will serve as treasurer of the Ohio University Board of Trustees and the OU Foundation Board of Trustees, which has net assets of more than $118 million.

At Duke, Siemer served primarily as chief of staff for administrative services for the past 10 years. He supervised 700 people in seven administrative operating units and also led an administrative work process redesign effort which is expected to save $30 million annually.

Prior to Duke, Siemer was financial systems manager and then comptroller for the University of Maryland central administration in Adelphi, Md., and as a systems auditor for Huffy Corp. in Cincinnati. Siemer, a certified public accountant, served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot.

Siemer, selected from 150 candidates, received a master's degree in business administration from Troy (Ala.) State University in 1976 and earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry in 1968 from the University of Cincinnati.

"Dick Siemer brings a wealth of financial and systems experience and expertise to Ohio University," said Ohio University President Robert Glidden. "He comes with the highest of recommendations from all who have worked with him at Duke and at Maryland."

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