Ethan Erickson named K-State vice president for administration and finance
MANHATTAN — Following a national search, Ethan Erickson will serve in Kansas State University's newly created vice president for administration and finance position.
Currently K-State's chief financial officer and interim vice president and chief operating officer, Erickson will assume his new title on Sept. 18. Erickson's appointment was made by K-State President Richard Linton. He will report to Linton and be a member of the president's Cabinet.
"I am excited to bring Ethan on board as the vice president for administration and finance," Linton said. "I have enjoyed working with him over the past few months and see him as a critical team player in my Cabinet. Ethan brings an important skill set that includes strategic thinking, effective communication and sound fiscal management."
As vice president for administration and finance, Erickson manages the university's operating budget of more than $900 million. He will be responsible for providing strategic financial management and overseeing the campuswide budgeting processes and capital planning. He also will continue managing campus administrative and operations management. Specific units reporting to Erickson include the Division of Financial Services, University Budget Office, Administrative Support Center, Internal Audit, Division of Facilities, Environmental Health and Safety, Parking Services, K-State Police Department, and Risk and Compliance.
"I am looking forward to serving the university at such a dynamic and transformative period," Erickson said. "I believe the administration and finance units are equipped with talented and passionate staff and I look forward to leading them through our journey to become a next-generation land-grant university."
Erickson, who joined K-State in 2014 as assistant vice president for budget planning, developed and implemented the university's new performance-based budget model and helped guide K-State through a period of budget cutbacks. For his efforts, he received the 2019 President's Award for Excellence for Unclassified Staff in the Distinguished Accomplishments category.
Named the university's chief financial officer in 2019, Erickson managed the university's $55 million in federal COVID relief funding and led the refinancing of university debt during the market instability caused by the pandemic. This effort achieved $10 million in savings. In 2021, Erickson added interim vice president and chief operating officer to his title, launching grounds maintenance and campus beautification projects to assist student recruitment efforts. He also developed a five-year capital improvement plan for university construction and improvement projects to support K-State's $2.3 billion in physical plant and infrastructure.
Before joining K-State, Erickson was fiscal services and operations director at the Kansas State Department of Education from 2008 to 2014. He also has served in budget leadership and analyst roles for the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Division of Budget in the Kansas Department of Administration and as a human resources professional and consultant with the Division of Personnel Services for the state Department of Administration.
Erickson earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a Master of Business Administration from K-State.
