Contracts Signature Authority
The University of Tennessee’s bylaws and Contracts Fiscal Policy (FI0420) specify which University employees are allowed to sign contracts on behalf of the University. Only those individuals on the list below have authority to sign on behalf of the University. So, if someone’s name is not on this list, they are not authorized to sign on behalf of the University. This applies for all contracts, regardless of dollar value. The University is not bound by unauthorized signatures.
If you have questions about this webpage, please contact Blake Reagan at breagan@tennessee.edu.
Per FI0420: An official otherwise authorized to sign a contract on behalf of the university may
not do so for contracts involving entities in which that individual is also an officer
or a member of the board of directors.
List of University employees who are authorized to sign contracts on behalf of The University of Tennessee:
Page last updated: June 26, 2018
| First Name | Last Name | Title | Signature Authority | Based On | Date of CFO letter (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procurement Services/Purchasing Offices | Procurement and Purchasing staff in UTC, UTM, UTHSC, and UTK procurement/purchasing offices | Order forms related to master agreements | CFO letter | December 15, 2015 | |
| Dr. Steven R. | Angle | Chancellor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | Delegated Chattanooga | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Caula | Beyl | Dean, College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources | Delegated College Grants & Contracts | CFO letter | October 13, 2010 |
| Dr. William F. | Brown | Dean, University of Tennessee AgResearch | Delegated 11 Research | CFO letter | October 13, 2010 |
| Dr. Richard | Brown | Chief Financial Officer, Chattanooga | Delegated Chattanooga | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Kennard | Brown | Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operations Officer, Health Science Center | Delegated Memphis | CFO letter | June 11, 2005 |
| Dr. Robert | Burns | Dean of UT Extension | Delegated 12 Grants & Contracts | CFO letter | August 2, 2017 |
| Dr. Herb | Byrd | Vice President of Public Service | Delegated 13, 14, & 15 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Keith | Carver | Chancellor, University of Tennessee at Martin | Delegated Martin | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Chris | Cimino | Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, Knoxville | Delegated Knoxville | Fiscal Policy | |
| Chris | Cimino | Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, Knoxville | Non-binding agreements with foreign entities for collaboration/affiliation. | CFO Letter | June 26, 2017 |
| Hiliah M. | Corbin | Investment Officer | contracts related to investments, funds transfers, and managing investments, including contracts for subscriptions. | CFO letter | July 26, 2016 |
| Dr. Tim | Cross | Chancellor, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture | Delegated Entity 11,12 & 18 | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Michelle | Crowder | Interim Executive Director | Contracts related to construction and real property. | CFO Letter | April 21, 2017 |
| Dr. Wayne T. | Davis | Interim Chancellor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Delegated Knoxville | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Joseph A. | DiPietro | President | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Tim | Fawver | Chief Business Officer to the Chancellor, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture | Delegated UTIA | Fiscal Policy | |
| Anthony | Ferrara | Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, Health Science Center | Delegated Memphis | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Steven R. | Goodman | Vice Chancellor for Research, UTHSC | IRB authorization agreements | CFO letter | January 25, 2017 |
| Dr. Tonja | Johnson | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Mike | Keener | Director of Licensing Office | College Crafter Agreements only | CFO letter | May 16, 2012 |
| Tonya | Kenley | Budget Director, College of Veterinary Medicine | Delegated 18 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Edward | Kraft | Associate Executive Director of Research | Delegated UTSI Research | CFO letter | February 2, 2017 |
| Ron | Loewen | Chief Business Officer, University Wide Administration | All 17 | CFO letter | January 20, 2017 |
| Ron | Loewen | Chief Business Officer, University Wide Administration | Delegated 17 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Timothy F. | Mapes | Associate Treasurer | contracts related to investments, funds transfers, and managing investments, including contracts for subscriptions. | CFO letter | July 26, 2016 |
| James R. | Maples | Treasurer | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Kelsey | McCall | Accounting Coordinator | Tennessee Department of Human Services Vocational Rehabilitation Program forms. | Click here | March 7, 2018 |
| Petra | McPhearson | Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration, Martin | Delegated Martin | Fiscal Policy | |
| Rip | Mecherle | Chief Investment Officer | contracts related to investments, funds transfers, and managing investments, including contracts for subscriptions. | CFO letter | July 26, 2016 |
| Jean | Mercer | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Director of Sponsored Programs | Delegated Knoxville Research | CFO letter | April 5, 2016 |
| David L. | Miller | Chief Financial Officer | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Catherine | Mizell | Secretary | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Brenda | Murrell | Director, Office of Sponsored Programs/Grants | Research grant proposals and related documents. | CFO letter | May 15, 2017 |
| Dr. James J. | Neutens | UTK Graduate School of Medicine | IRB authorization agreements | CFO letter | January 25, 2017 |
| Cynthia | Nichols | Budget Director, University of Tennessee AgResearch | Delegated 11 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Robert | Nobles | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research, Research Compliance, and Research Integrity Officer | Delegated Knoxville Research | CFO letter | June 2, 2014 |
| Mark | Paganelli | Executive Director | All 17 | CFO letter | January 20, 2017 |
| Dr. Stacey S. | Patterson | Vice President for Research, Outreach and Economic Development and Vice President | Contracts not involving the UTRF or any subsidiary of UTRF | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Blake | Reagan | Director of Procurement Services | Minnesota Multistate Contract Alliance for Pharmacy (MMCAP) applications | CFO letter | December 16, 2015 |
| Dr. Joanne | Romagni | Vice Chancellor for Research | Domestic grants and contracts for UTC's sponsored research | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Steve J. | Schwab | Chancellor, University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Delegated Memphis | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Matthew | Scoggins | General Counsel | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Dr. James ("Jim") | Simonton | Associate Executive Director, Dean for Academic Affairs, | Delegated research agreements for UTSI. | CFO letter | August 16, 2017 |
| Ryan | Stinnett | Deputy General Counsel | Designer agreements; designer agreement supplements; construction contracts; CMGC contract amendments; gift property contracts for amounts greater than $24,999.99. | CFO letter | June 18, 2015 |
| Amy | Stover | Budget Director | Delegated UTIA, in Mr. Fawver's absence. | CFO Letter | December 4, 2017 |
| Dr. James P. | Thompson | Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine | Delegated 18 | CFO letter | June 6, 2012 |
| Elaine | Todd | Director, UTHSC Office of Sponsored Programs | Confidentiality agreements; Material Transfer Agreements; Data Agreements; and related documents for UTHSC-related sponsored programs. | CFO letter | November 3, 2017 |
| Gail | White | Chief Business Officer, Institute of Public Service | Delegated 13,14 & 15 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Sarah | White | Associate Vice Chancellor for Research | Delegated research grant proposals and related documents. | Click here. | May 28, 2018 |
| Dr. Mark | Whorton | Executive Director, University of Tennessee Space Institute | Delegated UTSI Research | CFO letter | August 10, 2016 |
| Dr. Steven | Youngentob | Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Research | Delegated domestic sponsored grants and contracts for UTHSC. | CFO letter | September 8, 2015 |
| Ryan | Stinnett | Deputy General Counsel | All contracts when signing "as to form and legality." | Click here | June 26, 2018 |
| Kerry | Witcher | Interim Vice President for Development and Alumni Affaits | Contracts related to planned giving. Mr. Witcher may not sign contracts between UTFI and UT, per FI0420. | August 3, 2018 |
| Footnotes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| **UT Contracts Fiscal Policy allows authorized officials to delegate signature authority to athletics directors to sign non-financial game contracts and housing directors to sign pre-approved form contracts for the rental of student housing. The following individuals have been delegated that authority: | |||
| Name | Type of Contracts | Based On | Date of CBO Letter |
| John Abel | Pre-approved forms for student housing | Letter from CBO | September 11, 2015 |
If you have any questions about this list, please contact Blake Reagan, Director of Procurement Services for University System Administration at breagan@tennessee.edu or 865-974-3971.