Finance and Business

Financial executive Robert Kohrman appointed new University budget officer

As the new University budget officer, Robert Kohrman serves as a senior leader of Penn State’s financial management team and leads the University Budget Office. Credit: ProvidedAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Robert Kohrman, an experienced finance executive with more than 25 years of work in the field, was named Penn State’s new University budget officer beginning full time Dec. 19, 2022. Kohrman, having spent most of his career in higher education financial management and planning, most recently served as a self-employed financial services consultant.

Kohrman succeeds Mary Lou Ortiz, who began her new appointment as chief financial officer and vice chancellor at the University of California, Irvine this past June.

Since 2020, Kohrman has provided consulting services through RK Consulting to higher education institutions in areas such as financial stability, strategic and operation planning, and medical education services. Before his work in consulting, he was vice president for Finance and Administration at South Dakota State University and chief financial officer, where he oversaw all financial services (payroll, accounting, procurement), budget and planning, institutional research, auxiliary operations and business services, internal audit, human resources, facilities services, and the Office of Continuous Improvement. While at the university, Kohrman led, maintained and enhanced the university’s financial health by aligning the allocation of resources with South Dakota State’s strategic goals. He also implemented a new Internal Audit Office at the university.

From 2006 to 2018, Kohrman cultivated his career at Wayne State University in Michigan, where he began as associate vice president for budget, planning and analysis, leading the development of Wayne State’s annual operating budget and long-term financial planning, as well as oversight of the Office of Institutional Research. He held numerous positions during his tenure at Wayne State and was named in 2016 as vice dean for fiscal affairs and chief financial officer at the Wayne State School of Medicine.

As CFO, Kohrman led the financial and administrative restructuring of the School of Medicine and provided oversight for the financial components of the LCME accreditation process. Kohrman also served twice as interim associate vice president for enrollment management concurrent with his other roles during periods of transition. From 1994 to 2006, Kohrman served as assistant vice president for budget and finance in the University of Colorado System.

“Rob will be instrumental in securing Penn State’s success and future growth,” said Sara Thorndike, Penn State’s senior vice president for Finance & Business. “His tenure in higher education has demonstrated his ability to create and implement successful strategies and analyze new opportunities to strengthen financial resources. I am excited to develop new and improved budget processes with Rob to help the University achieve our goals.”

As the new University budget officer, Kohrman serves as a senior leader of Penn State’s financial management team and leads the University Budget Office. He will develop and assess the University’s budget, as well as resource allocation policies. In his new role, Kohrman will oversee efforts to implement the University’s annual operating budget and lead discussion about strategies to maintain an affordable education for Penn State students.

“I am really excited to be part of the Penn State financial leadership team,” said Kohrman. “There are so many great things happening right now at this University, and with the development of a new budget model for Penn State, this is a perfect time to join the team.”

Kohrman earned his master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in resource management and institutional planning. He also attained his bachelor of arts degree from Michigan, where he majored in history and minored in economics.

Last Updated January 30, 2023