Executive Staff Bios

Mr. Terry Pankratz, Vice President for Finance and CFO

BBA in Accounting, MBA, Certified Public Accountant
18+ years of broad-based higher education financial and administrative experience within the Texas A&M University System. Prior to being named Vice President for Finance and CFO, Terry served as Associate Vice President and Controller at Texas A&M University and previously held the position of Vice President for Business and Administration at Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Treasurer of executive governing board for the Texas Connection Consortium (TCC); member of the Audit Committee of The Southern Association of College and University Business Officers (SACUBO).

Ms. Kathryn Symank, Associate Vice President

BS in Psychology, MBA
20+ years experience at Texas A&M, where she previously served as Director of Student Business Services and Senior Associate Director of Administrative Services in the Memorial Student Center Student Programs Office.
Provides leadership to Human Resources, Open Records, Analytical Services and the division's Continuous Improvement initiative serving as the team sponsor.

Mr. John Crawford, Associate Vice President and Controller

BBA in Accounting from Texas A&M University, Certified Public Accountant
14+ years of professional accounting experience and extensive knowledge of Texas higher education financial and accounting issues. Prior to being named Associate Vice President and Controller, John served as Director of Accounting Services in Financial Management Operations at Texas A&M.
Provides leadership to Financial Management Operations, Student Business Services, Payroll Services and Financial Management Services in Galveston.
Treasurer of the Texas A&M University Center in Mexico - A Mexican Civil Association; Controller of the Texas A&M University Center in Costa Rica - A Costa Rican Corporation.

Mr. Phillip Ray, Associate Vice President and University Contracts Officer

BS from Texas A&M- Commerce, MBA from Southern Methodist University
15+ years of broad-based administrative experience in higher education. Prior to joining Texas A&M University, Phillip served as Assistant Vice President for Business Affairs at Texas Tech University.
11+ years of management experience with Department of Defense contractor E-Systems / Raytheon, initially serving as the Financial Analyst on Big Safari Programs prior to being named Program Manager of classified DoD programs.
Provides leadership to Procurement Services, Contract Administration, Historically Underutilized Business Program, Logistic Services, Real Estate Development, Facilities Finance, and our Energy Risk Management Program.

Ms. Deborah Wright, Executive Director - Budgets

BBA in Marketing from Texas A&M University, Master of Science in Finance from Texas A&M University
25+ years of experience at Texas A&M. Prior to joining the Division of Finance, served as the Project Director for the campus Geographic Information System and as a Senior Systems Analyst for Computer and Information Services.
Provides leadership for the university's operating budget, capital budget and cash budget activities.

Mr. Andy Bland, Executive Director - IT Services

BS in Industrial Technology
18+ years experience at Texas A&M University, starting in the Fiscal Office as a Micro Computer Specialist and continuing with the department as it emerged into the Division of Finance.
Provides leadership within IT Services. which is responsible for the planning, development, implementation, and administration of the computing environment within the Division of Finance.