Mori Hosseini elected Chairman of UF Board of Trustees

Tom Kuntz will serve as Vice Chairman

Mori Hosseini was elected Chairman of the University of Florida Board of Trustees today. Hosseini will succeed Bill Heavener, who has served as UF’s Board Chair since 2016, and will complete his term in June.

“Our new Board Chair exemplifies the leadership, vision and guidance that will be key to moving the University of Florida toward its goal of becoming a top-five university, said UF President Kent Fuchs.

Prior to joining UF’s Board of Trustees in 2016, Hosseini chaired the Board of Governors for the State University System, and has long been a champion of higher education in the state of Florida. Among a number of significant accomplishments, Hosseini was instrumental in the creation of preeminence and performance funding for state universities.

“UF is the flagship university in the state of Florida. This $5.5 billion university enterprise (with a $12.5 billion economic impact) shapes the lives of 54,000 students, more than 30,000 employees, and the citizens of our state every day – from the classroom, to our hospitals with all of their innovation and life-saving care, to the immense agricultural impact,” said Hosseini. “During my time on the UF Board of Trustees, the hard work of our faculty, staff and administration, and the support of our legislature and Governor Scott, have propelled UF into the Top 10 national rankings. It is my goal as chair to help UF achieve Top 5.”

The Board of Trustees also elected Tom Kuntz to serve as its Vice Chairman, beginning in July 2018. Kuntz recently finished his term as the Chair of the Board of Governors for the State University System of Florida. Kuntz served as CEO of SunTrust Banks, Florida, until his retirement in 2013, and brings a wealth of higher education knowledge to UF’s Board leadership.

The Board of Trustees is the governing board of the University of Florida, comprised of 13 members.