Sweet named Vanderbilt CFO

Brett Sweet

Sweet named Vanderbilt CFO

Brett Sweet, dean of administration and finance of Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, has been named vice chancellor and chief financial officer at Vanderbilt University.

“The CFO role is a key position at all times, but especially so now, as Vanderbilt continues to navigate the new economic terrain,” Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos said. “I am confident we have found exactly the right person in Brett, who brings health care, university and business experience to his new role.”

Sweet, 38, was chosen following a national search to succeed Lauren Brisky, who retired in February. Pending approval of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust, his appointment will be effective in late August.

“There couldn't be a more critical time to have an extraordinarily talented leader overseeing Vanderbilt's financial enterprise," said search committee chair Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor for Health Affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. “The challenges of reimbursement tied to health care reform, the volatile nature of the debt markets, and the sheer scale and diversity of our activities and associated budgetary needs required an individual with a unique skill set.

“Our committee was impressed that Brett has this critical set of experiences, from both Medical Center and broader University settings, while articulating a vision for improved system performance, integration and collaboration that blends perfectly with our values and culture.”

Sweet said he was attracted to Vanderbilt for several reasons. “The core leadership team are embarking on a number of exciting strategic endeavors that many universities only talk about doing. I'm especially excited about Vanderbilt's efforts to enhance the collaborative ties between the university's education, research, clinical and community support missions.”