New Fine Arts Dean, Chief Financial Officer and Career Development Director named

Jacksonville University has named Dr. Henry Rinne as College of Fine Arts Dean, effective March 1; David Healy as Chief Financial Officer, effective Feb. 4; and Toni Higgs as Director of the Career Development Center, effective immediately.

“These are exceptional individuals who have achieved high degrees of excellence in their respective fields and will add to the great talent of our exemplary faculty and senior staff,” said JU President Tim Cost.

Dr. Henry Rinne joins JU from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, where he is Founding Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and a Professor of Humanities and Art History.

With nearly four decades in higher education, he brings deep experience in degree program creation and accreditation, faculty development, strategic planning and resource enhancement. During his current tenure, the College of Humanities experienced a 31 percent increase in student majors, increased diversity, won major grants for facility and program upgrades, and established new departments in Behavioral Sciences, Art-Design-Theatre, Music-Humanities, and History-Political Science-Geography-Philosophy.

He holds a Ph.D. in comparative arts from Ohio University, as well as a Master of Music in music theory and Bachelor of Music in performance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Rinne is also an accomplished musician, photographer and playwright, and as a saxophonist has worked and performed with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Ed Shaughnessy, Marvin Gaye, Tom Jones, the Temptations, Four Tops, and Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.

David Healy, formerly Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Williams College (where he also served as Treasurer and Secretary to the Board), assumes responsibilities from George Scaduto, who is stepping down from the University. Mr. Healy is a leader in his field, with nearly 40 years in higher education and almost three decades as a Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, including at Goucher College, Mount Ida College and Milton Academy.

He has served as President of the Eastern Association of College and University Officers, as a board member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, and as a member of a number of corporate and nonprofit boards. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board for EXPLO, a Boston-based, internationally focused, 3,500-student K-12 summer enrichment program for talented youths.

With extensive experience in finance, budgeting, strategic planning, capital planning and construction management, technology, board structure and governance, investments, organizational change and human resource functions, Healy’s notable achievements during his career include development of two major strategic, four major capital and three technology plans.

He is also an Associate Professor in the Mount Ida College School of Business, where he has taught strategy and policy, finance, investment and business management. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from The College of William and Mary and a Bachelor of Arts from Lawrence University in Wisconsin, and also completed additional coursework in higher education law at William and Mary.

George Scaduto has graciously agreed to assist Healy in the transition phase of leadership for this extremely important office to the University.

“I offer my personal thanks and appreciation to George for eight outstanding years of service, during which JU achieved financial stability and created a solid budgetary framework for our planned growth,” Cost said. “He has always kept our University’s best interests at the forefront of his work.”

Toni Higgs most recently served as Senior Relationship Manager for Wells Fargo’s Jacksonville operations, as well as City Executive/Senior Business Banker for CertusBank, and in positions with Wachovia, a Wells Fargo company. Her rich background was sought to help build a robust resource for student support as they prepare for their lives after graduation.

Higgs, who earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida and is assuming responsibilities from Devan Coughlin, will report along with her staff to Mike Fleming, Chief Government, Military & Community Relations Officer.

Along with these new additions, the University is realigning its Grant Development efforts to offer the highest level of support to faculty and academic programs. To achieve greater effectiveness, Renee Rossi, Director of Grant Development, now reports to JU Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Wenying Xu.

“These moves strengthen our position as we continue to excel at our primary mission of offering the finest educational experience possible to our students,” Cost said.