Contracts
The University of Tennessee’s bylaws and Contracts Fiscal Policy specify which University employees are allowed to sign contracts on behalf of the University. Only those individuals on this list 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.
List of University employees who are authorized to sign contracts on behalf of The University of Tennessee:
| First Name | Last Name | Title | Signature Authority | Based On | Date of CFO letter (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Joseph A. | DiPietro | President | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Dr. Tonja | Johnson | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Dr. Stacey S. | Patterson | Interim Vice President for Research, Outreach and Economic Development and Vice President | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Matthew | Scoggins | General Counsel | All contracts | By-laws | |
| David L. | Miller | Chief Financial Officer | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Catherine | Mizell | Secretary | All contracts | By-laws | |
| James R. | Maples | Treasurer | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Rickey N. | McCurry | Vice Pres Development and Alumni Affairs | All contracts | By-laws | |
| Michelle | Crowder | Interim Executive Director | Contracts related to construction and real property. | CFO Letter | April 21, 2017 |
| Dr. Beverly J. | Davenport | Chancellor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Delegated Knoxville | 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 |
| Dr. Steven R. | Angle | Chancellor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | Delegated Chattanooga | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Richard | Brown | Chief Financial Officer, Chattanooga | Delegated Chattanooga | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Keith | Carver | Chancellor, University of Tennessee at Martin | Delegated Martin | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Petra | McPhearson | Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration, Martin | Delegated Martin | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Steve J. | Schwab | Chancellor, University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Delegated Memphis | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Anthony | Ferrara | Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, Health Science Center | Delegated Memphis | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Mark | Whorton | Executive Director, University of Tennessee Space Institute | Delegated UTSI Research | CFO letter | August 10, 2016 |
| Dr. Edward | Kraft | Associate Executive Director of Research | Delegated UTSI Research | CFO letter | February 2, 2017 |
| Dr. Taylor | Eighmy | Vice Chancellor for Research, Knoxville | Delegated Knoxville Research | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Robert | Nobles | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research, Research Compliance, and Research Integrity Officer | Delegated Knoxville Research | CFO letter | June 2, 2014 |
| Jean | Mercer | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Director of Sponsored Programs | Delegated Knoxville Research | CFO letter | April 5, 2016 |
| Dr. Kennard | Brown | Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operations Officer, Health Science Center | Delegated Memphis | CFO letter | June 11, 2005 |
| Dr. Steven R. | Goodman | Vice Chancellor for Research, UTHSC | IRB authorization agreements | CFO letter | January 25, 2017 |
| Dr. James J. | Neutens | UTK Graduate School of Medicine | IRB authorization agreements | CFO letter | January 25, 2017 |
| Dr. William F. | Brown | Dean, University of Tennessee AgResearch | Delegated 11 Research | CFO letter | October 13, 2010 |
| Dr. Tim | Cross | Chancellor, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture | Delegated Entity 11,12 & 18 | By-laws/Fiscal Policy | |
| Cynthia | Nichols | Budget Director, University of Tennessee AgResearch | Delegated 11 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Tim | Fawver | Chief Business Officer to the Chancellor, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture | Delegated UTIA | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Caula | Beyl | Dean, College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources | Delegated College Grants & Contracts | CFO letter | October 13, 2010 |
| Dr. Robert | Burns | Dean of UT Extension | Delegated 12 Grants & Contracts | CFO letter | August 2, 2017 |
| Gail | White | Chief Business Officer, Institute of Public Service | Delegated 13,14 & 15 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Dr. Herb | Byrd | Vice President of Public Service | Delegated 13, 14, & 15 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Ron | Loewen | Chief Business Officer, University Wide Administration | Delegated 17 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Ron | Loewen | Chief Business Officer, University Wide Administration | All 17 | CFO letter | January 20, 2017 |
| Mark | Paganelli | Executive Director | All 17 | CFO letter | January 20, 2017 |
| Dr. James P. | Thompson | Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine | Delegated 18 | CFO letter | June 6, 2012 |
| Tonya | Kenley | Budget Director, College of Veterinary Medicine | Delegated 18 | Fiscal Policy | |
| Blake | Reagan | Director of Procurement Services | Minnesota Multistate Contract Alliance for Pharmacy (MMCAP) applications | CFO letter | December 16, 2015 |
| Mike | Keener | Director of Licensing Office | College Crafter Agreements only | CFO letter | May 16, 2012 |
| Hiliah M. | Corbin | Investment Officer | contracts related to investments, funds transfers, and managing investments, including contracts for subscriptions. | CFO letter | July 27, 2016 |
| Timothy F. | Mapes | Associate Treasurer | contracts related to investments, funds transfers, and managing investments, including contracts for subscriptions. | CFO letter | July 27, 2016 |
| Rip | Mecherle | Chief Investment Officer | contracts related to investments, funds transfers, and managing investments, including contracts for subscriptions. | CFO letter | July 27, 2016 |
| 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 | |
| Kiara | Castleman | Coordinator II | Tennessee Department of Human Services Vocational Rehabilitation Program forms | CFO letter | October 5, 2016 |
| Ryan | Stinnett | Associate 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 |
| Dr. James ("Jim") | Simonton | Associate Executive Director, Dean for Academic Affairs, | Delegated research agreements for UTSI. | CFO letter | August 16, 2017 |
| Brenda | Murrell | Director, Office of Sponsored Programs/Grants | Research grant proposals and related documents. | CFO letter | May 15, 2017 |
| 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.