Drexel Senior Vice President Receives Distinguished Business Officer Award

Jim Tucker accepts his award from Gaye Manning, vice chancellor of finance and administration at Southern Arkansas University Tech, who serves as chair of the 2012 NACUBO Awards Council.

Jim Tucker, senior vice president for Student Life and Administrative Services at Drexel University, was awarded the Distinguished Business Officer Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), for his 35 years of leadership in higher education administration.

Tucker was presented the award at the organization’s national conference on July 29. The Distinguished Business Officer Award is the highest individual honor NACUBO confers, recognizing outstanding achievement in the field of business and financial management in higher education.

“Jim has provided exceptional leadership of Drexel’s business and administrative operations during one of the most dynamic periods of growth in this University’s history,” said Drexel University President John A. Fry. “We are so proud of his many accomplishments and pleased that he’s been chosen for this prestigious award.”

Tucker, who came to Drexel in March 2007, leads the largest non-academic administrative division at Drexel, with a more than $120 million annual divisional operating budget. In his first five years at the university, he oversaw implementation of the Campus Master Plan, with $400 million in facilities construction and renewal; embraced leadership of two of the largest administrative departments (Human Resources and Information Resources and Technology); and was instrumental in bringing the largest development project in Drexel’s history — the $97.6 million Chestnut Square development from American Campus Communities — to the University City Campus.

Tucker began his career in higher education at the age of 19 as a parking attendant at the University of Cincinnati and quickly moved through the administrative ranks. As Vice President for Administrative and Business Services at Cincinnati, Tucker managed a more than $201 million annual operating budget and eventually became one of only two non-academic administrators in the University’s history to receive the title of vice president emeritus. In 2003, his division received the Ohio Governor’s Award for Excellence — Tier 4 (Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award), the highest quality award given to any organization by the state of Ohio.

Tucker is a longtime member of NACUBO and a frequent speaker at the organization’s national conference. His 2006 presentation on the University of Cincinnati’s strategic plan development and implementation was published in a cover story, “On the Progress Path,” in NACUBO Business Officer magazine.