Former Chief Financial Officer Tim Fennema is no longer serving in that role at Calvin, President Wiebe Boer announced to faculty and staff Jan. 3. 

Fennema told Chimes that his departure was not his choice, nor was it something he anticipated prior to the week of Jan. 2, although he and the university came to “a mutual agreement.”

The departure was “amicable,” according to Associate Vice President for Human Resources Andrew George.

Fennema was appointed interim director of finance in 2021 after former Vice President for Finance Jim English stepped down and was later named vice president for administration and finance. Under Boer, he became chief financial officer. In his role as CFO, he oversaw investment management, event services, the bookstore, Creative Dining and Calvin’s facilities partners. 

Fennema was involved in Calvin’s ongoing solar energy project, various master planning projects and long-term financial strategy, including the invest-to-grow strategy that emerged from the university’s Strategic Budget Review and the Calvin Tomorrow initiative.

Calvin business professor Dirk Pruis has been appointed interim CFO until a permanent replacement can be found. Pruis has been the faculty representative on the Strategic Budget Review committee for the last 18 months and brings experience in a variety of senior roles — including at Goldman Sachs, ICE Trust, EquiLend and Deloitte & Touche — to the position.

Pruis previously served as vice president for advancement at Calvin from 2005 to 2007, under former President Gaylen Byker.

“In this season, I see a tremendous opportunity to help the university advance its compelling mission and vision through thoughtful and creative strategies while exercising faithful stewardship of its financial resources,” Pruis said.

Boer told Chimes he is appreciative of the “depth in leadership strength” at Calvin which has enabled him to promote from within several times in the last year.

Other Calvin leadership and Calvin’s collection of forward-facing documents, including the Vision 2030 Strategic Plan and Calvin Tomorrow, are helpful in keeping leadership transitions smooth, according to Boer. 

“We are grateful to Tim for his service during a time of transition at Calvin and wish him well in his future endeavors,” Boer said in the Jan. 3 email.

Fennema told Chimes he believes the university is “in a much better place than when I got here.”