UNC Asheville Announces Bruce W. Barker Vice Chancellor For Budget And Chief Operating Officer

This week, the University of North Carolina Sehveille announced the appointment of Bruce W. Barker as the University’s next Vice chancellor for Budget and Finance and Chief Operation Officer. Barker previously served as the Director of Business Operation and Chief Procurement Officer since 2019. Barker will succeed Josh Lassiter, who has served in the role on an interim basis since the retirement of CFO Paul Forter.  

“Bruce brings exactly the kind of strategic financial leadership and operational discipline UNC Asheville needs as we continue to strengthen our institution,” said UNC Asheville Chancellor Kimberly van Noort. “He has a proven track record of success, from modernizing financial controls, to improving compliance, building resilient and efficient operating units to creating new parking and transportation models. His depth and breadth of experience across campus enterprises will serve our community well.” 

At WCU, Barker oversaw procurement, accounts payable, University travel, and parking and transportation operations, leading enterprise-wide initiatives to strengthen financial controls, risk management, and service delivery. He modernized audit and compliance functions through the strategic use of artificial intelligence to flag high-risk procurement and travel-card transactions. He also led multi-year organizational restructuring efforts that established new leadership roles to improve operational resiliency and succession planning, and he partnered closely with senior leadership to align financial operations with institutional strategy. 

Barker holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Finance from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, a Master of Science in Human Resources from Western Carolina University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Corporate Finance, also from Western Carolina University.