Joel Pogodzinski promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer

In recognition of his accomplishments since joining Marquette in 2017, President Michael R. Lovell has promoted Joel Pogodzinski from senior vice president and chief operating officer to executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective Aug. 1.

Pogodzinski is a member of the Executive Leadership Team along with the president and the provost. He leads the operational and financial strategy for the university, and is responsible for the following areas: finance, endowment, human resources, information technology services, internal audit, planning and facilities management, treasury and risk management, and the Marquette University Police Department. Advancement operations has a dual reporting relationship to Pogodzinski and President Lovell.

“Joel is a valued partner to me as president, and to the provost, in leading the university across all campus stakeholders,” President Lovell said. “He was instrumental in successfully guiding the university through the significant economic impacts of the pandemic.”

The university, guided by its strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, remains strong with a bright future. Under Pogodzinski’s leadership, the university has improved liquidity and increased resource generation to continue to invest in the future of Marquette.  We are positioned well with the investor community and credit rating agencies as a result of strong relationships and solid strategies and execution. Pogodzinski has also enhanced the university’s ability to create and execute on both long-range plans and individual business cases to improve financial planning, academic program growth and capital investments.

Earlier this year, Pogodzinski negotiated the strategic sale of the university’s Michigan Street property to transform an underutilized land parcel into a catalyst for a regional “Iron District” development that will generate new jobs and play a pivotal role in improving and linking Marquette, our surrounding community and Milwaukee more broadly.

“Marquette is a special place with incredible momentum, and I’m pleased to continue to play a role in moving Marquette forward for future generations. I’ve been privileged to assemble and lead a strong division of professionals who are fully committed to the Catholic, Jesuit mission of the university,” Pogodzinski said. “I am proud that our team has engaged with our faculty, staff, students and partners to support our people, invest in our technology and physical environment, and improve the safety of our campus and surrounding neighborhood, our financial health and our sustainable practices.”

Pogodzinski was elected corporate treasurer by the Marquette University Board of Trustees in 2018.

He joined Marquette as chief financial officer in 2017 and was promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer in 2018. Prior to that, he was CFO and vice president of finance for Broan-NuTone LLC in Hartford, Wisconsin.