Contracts Signature Authority
The University of Tennessee’s bylaws (Article VII section 7.6) 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 Abbie Shellist at ashellis@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.
*Please note that Institution Authority contracts were formerly known as delegated contracts.
List of University employees who are authorized to sign contracts on behalf of The University of Tennessee:
Page last updated: August 7, 2023
| 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 | |
| Mark | Alexander | Assistant Vice Chancellor Student Life | Swimming pool lease agreements | CFO Letter | September 5, 2023 |
| Dr. Suzie | Allard | Research Integrity Officer, UTK | Institution authority for regulatory reporting obligations for compliance assurances | CFO Letter | October 20, 2023 |
| Ryan | Alpert | Deputy Athletics Director/COO | Facility license and lease agreements | CFO Letter | August 21, 2023 |
| Dr. Steven R. | Angle | Chancellor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | Institution Authority Chattanooga | FI0420 | |
| Suzanne | Beeler | Budget Director | External use of campus facilities agreements for UT Conferences and Events Services Office | CFO Letter | August 21, 2023 |
| Linda | Belew | Executive Director, Continuing Education | External use of campus facilities agreements for UT Conferences and Events Services Office | CFO Letter | August 21, 2023 |
| Allen | Bolton | Interim Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, Knoxville | Institution Authority Knoxville | FI0420 | |
| Mr. Randy | Boyd | President | All contracts | Bylaws (Article VII section 7.6.) | |
| Brad | Briggs | Sr. Associate Athletics Director/CFO | Facility license and lease agreements | CFO Letter | August 21, 2023 |
| Brian | Browning | Associate Vice Chancellor Finance & Administration | External use of campus facilities agreements for UT Conferences and Events Services Office | CFO Letter | August 21, 2023 |
| Dr. Peter F. | Buckley, MD | Chancellor, University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Institution Authority Memphis | FI0420 | |
| Dr. Wesley | Byerly | Interim Vice Chancellor for Research, UTHSC | Institution Authority domestic sponsored grants and contracts, and related documents, for UTHSC. | FI0420 | January 10, 2023 |
| Dr. Herb | Byrd | Vice President of Public Service | Institution Authority 13, 14, 15, & 16 | FI0420 | |
| Clay | Carroll | Executive Director of Finance, Administration and Operations | Public Radio Underwriting Agreements and Media Sponsorship Trade Agreements | CFO Letter | August 21, 2023 |
| Dr. Keith | Carver | Senior Vice Chancellor/Senior Vice President for the UT Institute of Agriculture | Institution Authority contracts for UTIA | FI0420 | |
| Dr. Phil | Cavalier | Interim Chancellor, University of Tennessee at Martin | Institution Authority Martin | FI0420 | |
| Dr. Robert | Craft, MD | Interim Dean, UTHSC Graduate School of Medicine | Institutional Review Board (IRB) Authorization Agreements | CFO letter | October 3, 2022 |
| Dr. Deborah | Crawford | Vice Chancellor for Research | Institution Authority domestic sponsored grants and contracts | FI0420 | |
| Dr. Brad | Day | Associate Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Initiatives | Institution Authority export control documents including certifications from external vendors and sponsors, custody transfer form from ORNL's Property Office, vendor end-use agreements and UCNI-OUO certification for Y-12 | CFO Letter | February 14, 2023 |
| Dr. Jennifer | Easley | Chief Business Officer, UT System Administration | All budget entity 17 | CFO Letter | March 29, 2023 |
| Vicki | Farnsworth | Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer and Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration | Institution Authority Chattanooga | FI0420 | |
| Anthony | Ferrara | Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, Health Science Center | Institution Authority Memphis | FI0420 | |
| Staci | Fuqua | Coordinator of Field Placements | Partnership agreements with local schools on the UTM template. | CFO email | February 18, 2021 |
| Kristena | Gallimore | Accounting Coordinator | Tennessee Department of Human Services Vocational Rehabilitation Program forms. | CFO letter | January 8, 2021 |
| Brent | Goldberg | Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Chattanooga | Institution Authority Chattanooga | FI0420 | |
| Dr. Jim | Greene | Interim Chief Business Officer | Institution Authority contracts for UT Southern | FI0420 | |
| Jody | Hamblett | WUOT General Manager | Public Radio Underwriting Agreements and Media Sponsorship Trade Agreements | CFO Letter | August 21, 2023 |
| Samantha | Johnson | Director, Shared Services | Institution Authority contracts for Budget Entities 01, 02, 12, 18 | CFO Letter | August 22, 2023 |
| Mike | Keener | Director of Licensing Office | College Crafter Agreements only | CFO letter | May 16, 2012 |
| Missy | Kitts | Budget Director | Institution Authority contracts for UT Extension and UTIA Administration. | CFO Memo | March 30, 2022 |
| Raaj | Kurapati | Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, Health Science Center | Institution Authority contracts for UTHSC | FI0420 | July 6, 2023 |
| Ron | Loewen | Associate Vice President, Budget, Analysis and Planning, System Administration | All budget entity 17 | CFO Letter | March 31, 2023 |
| Luke | Lybrand | Treasurer | All contracts | Bylaws (Article VII section 7.6.) | |
| Dr. Linda | Martin | Interim Chancellor, UT Southern | Institution Authority contracts UT Southern | FI0420 | |
| Kim | McCullock | Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance & Administration, Knoxville | Institution Authority contracts for UTK, UTSI, UTIA | CFO Letter | January 6, 2023 |
| Petra | McPhearson | Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration, Martin | Institution Authority contract Martin | FI0420 | |
| Rip | Mecherle | Chief Investment Officer | contracts related to investments, funds transfers, and managing investments, including contracts for subscriptions. | CFO Letter | July 11, 2023 |
| David | Miller | Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | All contracts | Bylaws (Article VII section 7.6.) | |
| Cynthia | Moore | Secretary | All contracts | Bylaws (Article VII section 7.6.) | |
| Phillip | Moore | Interim Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs, College of Nursing (UTK) | Letters of agreement for nursing student clinical practice placement. | CFO Letter | September 29, 2023 |
| Sara E. (Sally) | Morris | Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Research Administration | Institution Authority UTK contracts tied to sponsored grants and contracts | CFO Letter | August 17, 2023 |
| Brenda | Murrell | Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Research | Institution Authority domestic sponsored grants and contracts, and related documents, for UTHSC. | CFO Letter | January 10, 2023 |
| Allyson | Neal | Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, College of Nursing (UTK) | Letters of agreement for nursing student clinical practice placement | CFO Letter | September 29, 2023 |
| Donna | Neblett | Director of Educator Preparation Program & Accreditation | Partnership agreements with local schools on the UTM template. | CFO email | February 18, 2021 |
| Cynthia | Nichols | Budget Director, University of Tennessee AgResearch | Institution Authority Budget Entity 11 | FI0420 | |
| Austin | Oakes | Executive Director | Contracts related to construction and real property. | CFO letter | December 6, 2019 |
| Dr. Donde | Plowman | Chancellor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Institution Authority contracts Knoxville | FI0420 | |
| Brian | Ranger | UTK Biological Safety Officer | Biological Safety documents per CFO letter. | CFO Letter | September 29, 2023 |
| Dr. Joanne | Romagni | Vice Chancellor for Research | Domestic grants and contracts for UTC's sponsored research | FI0420 | |
| Dr. John | Schmisseur | Associate Dean and Executive Director of UTSI | Institution Authority contracts and associated documents for sponsored projects by external sponsors upon completed terms and conditions review by the UTSI Grant and Contracts Office | CFO Letter | April 14, 2023 |
| Theresa | Sears | Director of Sponsored Program Contracts and Agreements | Institution Authority domestic sponsored grants and contracts, and related documents for the Office of Research | CFO Letter | June 13, 2022 |
| Abbie | Shellist | Director of Procurement Services | Minnesota Multistate Contract Alliance for Pharmacy (MMCAP) applications | CFO Letter | August 9, 2022 |
| Emily | Simerly | UTK Deputy Chief of Police | UTPD Officer Training Reimbursement Agreements | CFO Letter | September 5, 2023 |
| David | Smelser | Director of Pre-award Operations | Documents associated with proposals being submitted to external sponsors including: attestations, cost share obligation letters, any other sponsor-specific documents required for the proposal submission | CFO Letter | February 24, 2022 |
| James | Stanley | Facilities Security Officer, UTK | Institution authority for classified research security | CFO Letter | October 20, 2023 |
| Ryan | Stinnett | General Counsel | Authority to retain outside legal counsel (Bylaws); contracts for legal consulting services and legal research goods and services (CFO letter). | Bylaws Section 7.7; CFO letter | September 18, 2019 |
| Ryan | Stinnett | 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 |
| Ryan | Stinnett | General Counsel | Contracts for legal consulting services; contracts for legal research goods and services | CFO letter | August 23, 2021 |
| Dr. Ashley | Stokes | UT Extension | Institution Authority contracts for UTIA | CFO letter | March 5, 2021 |
| Shelia | Swift | Exec Assoc Dean, Academic Affairs, College of Nursing (UTK) | Letters of agreement for nursing student clinical practice placement. | CFO Letter | September 29, 2023 |
| Dr. James P. | Thompson | Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine | Institution Authority contracts Budget Entity 18 | CFO letter | June 6, 2012 |
| Kerry | Witcher | Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs | Contracts related to planned giving. Mr. Witcher may not sign contracts between UTFI and UT, per FI0420. | August 3, 2018 | |
| Dr. Tami | Wyatt | Associate Dean for Research; Interim Institutional Official for IRB | Reliance agreements, investor agreements, certificates of confidentiality applications, Form 310 certification | CFO Letter | February 14, 2023 |
| Rumira | Xhaferaj | Chief Business Officer, Institute of Public Service | Institution Authority contracts Budget Entities 13,14, 15, & 16 | FI0420 | |
| Dr. Hongwei | Xin | Dean, AgResearch | Institution Authority contracts for AgResearch | CFO letter | April 11, 2019 |
| 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 Abbie Shellist, Director of Procurement Services for University System Administration at ashellis@tennessee.edu or 865-974-3110.