W. Chris Leach has over 30 years of experience in accounting and finance, including 15 years as Associate Vice President and Director of Finance at Washburn University. He holds an MPA and BPA from Mississippi State University and is a licensed CPA in Mississippi. His career includes experience in public accounting, financial services, and higher education administration. He provides leadership in budgeting, financial reporting, and strategic planning.

1. W. Chris Leach, MPA
1124 SW Plass Avenue
Topeka, KS
Mobile: (785)806-3571
Email: chris.leach@outlook.com
Education and Certifications
Master ofProfessional Accountancy Mississippi State University 1983
Bachelor ofProfessional Accountancy Mississippi State University 1982
Certified Public Accountant Mississippi (licensed; retired status applied for) 1984
Louisiana (inactive) 1985
Ohio (inactive) 1993
Employment History
Nov 2001 – Nov 2016 Washburn University
Associate Vice President & Director of Finance
Director of Finance
Director of Budget Planning and Analysis
Aug 1994 – Sep 2001 Security Benefit Group
Assistant Vice President & Director of Strategic Planning &
Analysis
Jul 1983 – Aug 1994 Deloitte & Touche
Audit Senior Manager, Columbus, OH
Manager,Accounting & Auditing Systems, Princeton, NJ
Audit Manager, Baton Rouge, LA
Summary of Leadership and Accomplishments
Washburn University (November 2001 – November 2016)
Associate Vice President and Director of Finance, July 2015 – November2016
Provided leadership and direction for operations of Washburn’s accounting and financial services area,
comprised of the Finance Office, the Business Office,the Purchasing Office, and Inventory Control
Services. Served as the de facto chief accounting officer. Oversaw an annual operating budget of
$910,000. Direct supervision of 20 employees in the accounting and financial services area.
Director of Finance, December 2002 – June 2015
Provided leadership for operations of Washburn’s Finance Office with oversight over financial
accounting and reporting, sponsored projects accounting, treasury, accounts payable, payroll and student
accounts and bursar. Managed a total staff of 16 (9 directly and 7 indirectly; 14 FTE) and a $620,000
budget. Provided input and advice to the Vice President for Administration and Treasurer on various
accounting and administrative issues.

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Director of Budget Planning & Analysis, November 2001 – November2002
Served as interim controller with oversight over financial accounting and reporting and accounts payable.
Led the finance implementation team in the successfulconversion from legacy systems to Ellucian
Banner ERP software. Key member of the human resources/payroll implementation team which brought
payroll processing in-house to Banner. Worked with Vice President for Administration and Treasurer to
develop both public budget and annual operating budgets.
 Budget & Finance and Audit Committees of the Board of Regents – staff support
 Washburn Information Systems Advisory Council
 Policies, Regulations and Procedures Committee
 KanTRAIN Grant Steering Committee
 IT Strategic Planning Task Force
 University Accreditation Steering Committee
 Banking Services selection committee
 Audit Services selection committee
 11 direct reports in the areas of generalaccounting, accounts payable, payroll, sponsored projects
(grants) accounting, business office (student accounts and bursar), purchasing and inventory
control services.
Significant Accomplishments
 Identified strategic sourcing initiatives in Purchasing.
 Participated in focus group for NACUBO/Spikes Cavell spendmetrics purchasing metrics project.
 Negotiated and began implementation of new payroll card program to replace paper checks.
 Negotiated and began implementation of new purchasing card and e-payables programs.
 Cleaned up KanTRAIN grant financial records prior to Department of Labor site visit.
 Managed the issuance of $27 million of public and private placement bonds for a new residence
and dining facility.
 Modified residential living system financial model to incorporate multiple cost, debt service and
operating assumptions.
 Managed two bond refundings, resulting in a total economic gain to the University of over $2.4
million.
 Negotiated agreement with bank to reduce account balances in return for an interest rate subsidy
on funds held in the Kansas Municipal Investment Pool.
 Improved business processes to allow absorption of additional workload resulting from affiliation
with Washburn Institute of Technology with minimal budgetary, effectiveness and efficiency
impacts.
 Reduced staffing by one FTE, while strengthening internal controls, through targeted
implementation of technology-enabled solutions.
 Increased Finance Office competence, capability and efficiency by converting two positions from
non-exempt, non-degrees staff to exempt staff holding accounting degrees.
 Implemented both Banner Finance/Payroll and GASB 35 external financial reporting model
during the 2003 fiscal year.

3. W. Chris Leach
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Security Benefit Group (Topeka, KS; financial services; August 1994 – September 2001)
Assistant Vice President and Director,Strategic Planning & Analysis
Worked with senior management on strategic plan development and implementation. Prepared in-depth
financial analyses in support of senior management decision-making processes. Maintained relationships
with insurance rating agency analysts and prepared materials for annual ratings review meetings.
Managed a staff of three.
Significant Accomplishments
 Created and directed a unit to perform forward-looking financial analysis, enhancing the quality
of information provided to senior management.
 Developed a capital allocation model, identifying over $150 million of “excess capital” that could
be deployed without affecting ratings.
 Directed up to eight cross-functional strategic planning teams in performing both internal and
external situation analysis and in transforming high-level strategic objectives into business tactics.
 Developed 3-year financial forecasting model that allowed for changing assumptions and “what-
if” projections.
Deloitte & Touche (July 1983 – August 1994)
Audit Senior Manager; Columbus, OH, July 1992 – August 1994
Managed and supervised multiple client service engagements, primarily in the financial services industry
and the not-for-profit sector. Designated as the office audit technology manager. Served as instructor at
various firm-wide seminars (new hires, new senior accountants,financial services industry group). Firm-
designated financial services industry expert and financial instruments specialist.
Manager, Accounting and Auditing Systems, National Office; Princeton, NJ,July 1990 – July 1992
Participated in the firm’s Manager Development Program for managers who were highly ranked in the
firm. Coordinated production and worldwide distribution of audit workpaper preparation software.
Conducted multiple training sessions, both firm-wide and in-house, domestic and international.
Audit Manager; Baton Rouge, LA, July 1983 – July 1990
Participated in client service engagements as staff accountant,senior accountant and manager. Clients
served ranged from small not-for-profit organizations to Fortune 500 companies.
Professional Presentations and Instruction
Washburn University
 “Constituent Roundtable – Comprehensive/Doctoral Institutions”, together with Kim Kvaal (then
Associate Vice President for Business & Finance, University of San Francisco), NACUBO
Higher Education Accounting Forum, 2012.
 “Constituent Roundtable – Comprehensive/Doctoral Institutions”, together with Kim Kvaal (then
Associate Vice President for Business & Finance, University of San Francisco), NACUBO
Higher Education Accounting Forum, 2013.
 “Accounting Principles Council Update”,together with Sue Menditto (NACUBO) and Karen
Craig (NACUBO),NACUBO Higher Education Accounting Forum, 2013.

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 “Accounting Update for Public Institutions”, together with Sue Menditto (NACUBO),NACUBO
Annual Meeting, 2013.
 “GASB Update”, together with Kaleb Lilly (Partner,RubinBrown), CACUBO Winter Workshop,
2014.
 Guest speaker on budgeting, Washburn University MBA course AC 954, Spring 2010 and Spring
2011.
Deloitte & Touche
 Instructor, New Staff Accounting training, 1993 and 1994
 Lecturer (A+ audit workpaper preparation software),New Senior Accountant training, 1991 and
1992
 Instructor, firm-wide A+ workpaper training (various locations in the United States and overseas)
 Instructor, numerous in-house staff training courses, 1984-1994.
Representative Conference and Educational Programs Completed
 CACUBO Leadership Institute – 2015
 NACUBO AnnualMeetings – 2003-2008; 2010-2016
 CACUBO Annual Meetings – 2007; 2015
 Leadership Washburn – 2012-13
 Next Generation of Chief Business Officers Institute, SACUBO – 2010
 2016
o “Identifying Strategic Operating and Capital Risks”, NACUBO
o “Elephants in the Institution: Addressing Higher Ed’s Unmentionables”, NACUBO
o “Developing and Using Performance Measures Dashboards”,CACUBO
o “Micromessaging: Why Great Leadership is Beyond Words”, NACUBO
 2015
o “Leading Change: Case Studies of Effective Collaboration with Human Resources”,
NACUBO
o “Strategic Resource Allocation”, NACUBO
o “The Integration of Enterprise Risk Management and Process Improvement”,NACUBO
 2014
o “Technology Risk and Information Security Trends”, Crowe Horwath LLP
o “Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability”, NACUBO
o “What’s Your Ethics IQ? 5 Principles Smart Business Officers Live By”, NACUBO
 Prior years
o “Managing Risks & Opportunities Under Coming Carbon Constraints”, NACUBO
o “Preventing Campus Violence: An Integrated Approach to Threat Assessment &
Management”,NACUBO
o “Pursuing Excellence in Higher Education”, NACUBO
Professional and Affiliations
 National and Central Associations of College and University Business Officers
 CACUBO Annual Meeting Program Committee – 2016

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 NACUBO Accounting Principles Council – 2012-2016
o Chair – 2013
o Financial statement “blank slate” working group – 2012-2013
o Managerial Analysis, Analytics and Decision Support committee – 2016
 Certified Public Accountant – Mississippi (licensed, retired status applied for), Louisiana
(inactive) and Ohio (inactive).
 Phi Kappa Phi honor society
 Beta Alpha Psi honorary accounting fraternity
 Beta Gamma Sigma honorary business fraternity
Service and Other Activities
 Leadership Washburn – Class of 2013
 Lean Six Sigma, white belt
 United Way of Greater Topeka
o Resource Allocation Committee – 2015
o Resource Development Committee – 1998-1999
 Various youth organizations in Topeka – 1994-2009
 Audubon Society of Columbus (OH),Treasurer – 1992-1994
References
Available upon request.