Holly G. Crawford, a longtime financial leader at the University of Rochester, recently was hired as new Executive Vice President for Business Affairs, replacing Arnim Dontes, who left in July.

UT Southwestern President Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., said Ms. Crawford’s experience made her an excellent choice for the position, which she assumed on Nov. 29. “Ms. Crawford brings to UT Southwestern a deep understanding of academic medical centers and the complexities of a large, growing university such as our own,” Dr. Podolsky said.

At the University of Rochester, which includes a medical school, dental school, and six hospitals, Ms. Crawford served for nearly six years as Senior Vice President for Administration, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer. In this role – her most recent at the institution – she was responsible for a $5.4 billion budget.

Now with UT Southwestern, Ms. Crawford oversees more than 15 departments, including Accounting and Fiscal Services, Budget and Resource Planning, Facilities Management, Information Resources, Supply Chain Management, Human Resources, and the UT Southwestern Police Department.

“This position aligned really well with my experience and I am excited about the work that Dr. Podolsky and his team are doing and the trajectory that the University is on,” said Ms. Crawford, who added that she is excited to become part of an institution on the cutting edge of so many scientific and medical achievements.

Ms. Crawford grew up in Northport, New York, and graduated from Long Island University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She earned an M.B.A. from the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School. Before her more than 20 years at the University of Rochester in upstate New York, she held management positions with ACC Telecommunications, Bausch + Lomb, and Arthur Andersen LLP.

Her proudest accomplishment at the University of Rochester, Ms. Crawford said, was building a strong team and collaboratively building relationships across the institution, and she expects that emphasis on work relationships and cohesion to continue at UTSW.

“To execute at the highest level, I believe that our Business Affairs team must have a twofold aim of stewardship and service – providing client-centric services of the highest quality to our faculty, students, staff, patients, and visitors while stewarding the human, financial, and physical resources of the University. As a leader, I am deeply committed to the professional development and morale of all my team members and always strive to provide supportive and clear leadership within a culture of integrity, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration, and accountability,” she added.

Challenges she foresees in the near future at UTSW include continuing to cope with the obstacles created by the pandemic, learning the nuances of the UT Southwestern culture, and hiring and retaining employees in this dynamic employment market.

“I am looking forward to meeting and hearing from faculty, students, and staff in the coming months. Everyone I have met to date has been warm and welcoming, and there seems to be a collective pride in working here and excitement about the future of the institution,” Ms. Crawford said.