Brent Goldberg
Brent Goldberg has accepted a new position as Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, resigning from his role as the City’s Chief Financial Officer effective Dec. 1.
“Brent has made a tremendously positive impact during his time at the City, from reforming the budgeting process to creating complex financing plans for key revitalization projects,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “Thanks to his leadership, we’ve been able to make significant investments in One Chattanooga priorities while continuing to build and maintain residents’ trust in the stewardship of their tax dollars.
I’m incredibly grateful for his service to our community and look forward to continuing to work with him to further strengthen ties between the City and UTC.”
Mayor Kelly originally appointed Mr. Goldberg as his chief of staff when he took office in April 2021. Mr. Goldberg later transitioned to chief financial officer in January 2022, a chartered position for which he was confirmed unanimously by the Chattanooga City Council.
During his tenure, Mr. Goldberg streamlined and improved the annual budgeting process, while also locating savings and reducing vacant and historically underutilized positions to repurpose funds for key priorities.
Under his financial stewardship, the city successfully implemented a modernized pay plan with market rate adjustments to ensure all employees received living-wage salaries. Additionally, for the fiscal year 2023 budget, Mr. Goldberg managed the incorporation of significant capital investments to further One Chattanooga goals - including affordable housing and public health and safety - all without raising taxes for residents, it was stated.
Mr. Goldberg was also instrumental in moving forward transformational projects for the city, leading the creation of the multi-faceted financing plan for the revitalization of Chattanooga’s South Broad district.
“I want to thank Mayor Kelly for the opportunity to serve Chattanooga as part of his administration,” said Mr. Goldberg. “I am very excited about the future of our city under his leadership, and I look forward to continuing to further the One Chattanooga vision as a close community partner.”
Mayor Kelly will work with the City Council to appoint and confirm an interim chief financial officer to lead the Department of Finance and Administration while city officials conduct a search for the next chief financial officer.
UTC officials said Mr. Goldberg was selected after a highly competitive national search, triggered by the departure of Dr. Tyler Forrest, who resigned to accept the presidency of Tennessee Wesleyan University. The division of finance and administration portfolio includes budget and finance, the bursar’s office, facilities planning and management, human resources, emergency services and auxiliary services.
“Brent is a fantastic addition to our leadership team, and his transition to UTC will be nearly seamless,” said Chancellor Steven Angle. “He has a wealth of experience in public finance and understands the way that our state does business. He has shown himself to be an exceptional and collaborative leader, and he has an appreciation for UTC’s culture, our aspirations and our connection to our community.”
In addition to his leadership role in Chattanooga Mayor Kelly’s administration, Mr. Goldberg served Hamilton County Schools as chief business officer under then-superintendent Bryan Johnson. Goldberg has also served for a decade as an adjunct instructor of accounting at UTC.
UTC officials said, "Goldberg’s appointment comes at a particularly exciting time for the University and the division he will lead. The governor and state legislature recently approved more than $100 million in funding for UTC construction and renovation projects such as a new health sciences building, the renovation of the former state office building and the renovation of Brock Hall.
"During his candidacy, Goldberg emphasized not only his public finance background but also his profound affinity for UTC. “UTC is a special place. This university made it possible for me to be the first in my family to graduate from college, and it’s also the place where I met my wife. In addition to the importance it holds for me personally, I also believe UTC’s success is vital to the future of our community. The success of UTC correlates directly with the success of Chattanooga and our region.”
In making the announcement, Chancellor Angle also praised the work of UTC CIO and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Vicki Farnsworth, who served as interim vice chancellor for finance and administration during the search process. “Vicki provided steady leadership during an important time, and I believe that she will be an incredible resource for Brent and the team during his transition. Her experience in this interim role will add even more value to her ongoing role on our executive leadership team.”
Mr. Goldberg earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in accountancy from UTC. His additional credentials include Certified Public Accountant and Certified Government Financial Manager. He is also a product of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and Harvard’s Young American Leaders Program.