Sobieray brings with him 25 years of service in higher education. He will start work at Temple on August 1.
Richard J. Sobieray has been named Temple University's next senior vice president and chief operating officer.
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Following a national search, Richard J. Sobieray has been named senior vice president and chief operating officer at Temple University, President John Fry announced Wednesday. Pending final approval by the Board of Trustees, Sobieray will assume his new role on August 1.
“Rich is a strategic and results-oriented leader with deep experience in higher education finance and operations,” Fry said. “His ability to align financial strategy with institutional priorities will be critical as we continue to strengthen Temple’s foundation and invest in our future. His appointment also comes at the ideal time as we are in the beginning stages of the implementation process for our strategic plan, Forward with Purpose.”
“I also want to express my deepest gratitude to David Marino, who has done an exceptional job while serving as interim chief operating officer over the past year,” Fry added. “As I recently shared, later this summer, we will introduce a new budget model. The process to arrive at this point has been no small task, and it directly reflects the work of David and his team. I am eager to continue working closely with David when he returns to his role of vice president for finance and treasurer upon Rich’s arrival.”
Sobieray brings to this position more than two decades of experience in higher education and academic health systems, with a track record of leading large, complex organizations through financial and operational transformation.
“I am honored to join Temple University and support its mission of providing access to a high-quality education to students from all backgrounds, advancing impactful research and making a difference in the lives of our neighbors,” Sobieray said. “I look forward to working with colleagues across the university to build on Temple’s strong momentum.”
He joins Temple from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), where he serves as vice president and chief financial officer. In that role, he manages more than $60 billion in assets and a $1.7 billion operating budget, overseeing financial, purchasing, information technology operations and resource allocation to support KAUST’s 2030 Strategic Plan.
During his tenure at KAUST, Sobieray led initiatives that generated more than $100 million in operating savings and helped secure significant investments to support infrastructure and long-term growth, and he developed and implemented a transparent and inclusive budget model.
Prior to KAUST, Sobieray served as senior vice president for financial strategy and administrative services and chief financial officer at the University of South Florida (USF). There, he oversaw a $2.6 billion budget and led financial, facilities, public safety and information technology operations across multiple campuses. He eliminated a $50 million budget deficit, achieved best year-end financial results, improving the university's net position by $200 million, and helped secure nearly $150 million in new state investment.
Earlier in his career, Sobieray held leadership roles at USF Health and the Morsani College of Medicine—where he cultivated the growth and success of a $1 billion operation—as well as at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
He was awarded the CFO of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal in 2021 because of his work in developing a cash management plan that led USF Health through the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of this plan, USF Health was able to continue providing much-needed services to the Tampa community.
Sobieray holds a master of health administration and a master of science in education from Indiana University, along with a bachelor of arts from DePauw University. He is a certified public accountant and has completed executive education at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and Columbia Business School.