Alan Finn will serve as Butler University’s Executive Vice President for Finance and Chief Operating Officer, Butler President James Danko announced today. Finn comes to Butler from Ball State University, where he has served as the Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer since 2019. He will begin his new role at Butler on March 1, 2025. 

At Butler, Finn will have responsibility for high-level finance and budgetary administration and will oversee Facility Operations, Information Technology, Butler University Police Department, Sustainability, Human Resources, and Butler Arts and Entertainment. He will also serve as the administrative leader to the Board of Trustees’ Stewardship Committee. 

Finn is replacing Bruce Arick, who announced last year that he would be retiring in January 2025 after 30 years at Butler University. 

“In Alan Finn, Butler University is getting an experienced leader and strategist who will position our institution for continued success,” Danko said. “He understands the challenges facing higher education and offers innovative solutions for addressing those challenges. He’s going to be a great fit at Butler University.” 

Before his arrival at Ball State, Finn was Vice President for Business and Finance and Treasurer at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., where he had worked since 2015. He has also served at Portland (Oregon) State University and the State University of New York (SUNY), and he has held various roles in the private sector. His prior experience includes working with state budget models and incentive-based budget models, collaborating with legislators and board members, and supervising human resources. 

Finn earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Clarkson University and a Master of Public Administration from Rockefeller College at The State University of New York at Albany. 

“I certainly have been aware of Butler University and its strengths both before and during my time living in Indiana and have a great deal of respect for the institution and the people who work there,” Finn said. “I look forward to serving alongside President Danko, his leadership team, Butler’s trustees, and the faculty and staff as we continue providing an exceptional student experience that ranks among the best in the nation.”