NSU Names New Directors of Business Affairs, Auxiliary Services

Northeastern State University President Larry Williams recently announced the appointment of Sue Catron as director of Business Affairs and John Wichser as director of Auxiliary Services.

"We are so fortunate to have these two very capable individuals in key administrative positions," Williams said. "The work they do helps the University operate smoothly from a business standpoint and provides services that make the NSU community a comfortable and attractive environment for students and staff."

An NSU grad, Catron received her undergraduate degree in 1979 and her master of business administration in 1987. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. As the director of Business Affairs, she is involved in the business side of all three of NSU's campuses.

Catron has a long history with NSU. She started working at the University in 1980 as an accountant for Auxiliary Services. Later she worked as director of accounting for Auxiliary Services, and as an accountant in Business Affairs, Accounts Receivable and Payable, and Payroll.

After 20 years at NSU, Catron left to work at Greenleaf Nursery, where she started working as Payroll and Benefits administrator. When she left more than five years later to return to NSU, she was working as director of Finance and Planning, Payroll, and Benefits administrator.

"I spent 20 years here before, so this is home," said Catron. "Working at Greenleaf was a great experience; it's a lovely company, but I missed the level of activity, I missed the students and I missed the challenges of NSU."

Catron stepped into her new position as director of Business Affairs at the beginning of April.

"This is a wonderful time to be returning to NSU," said Catron. "There is so much growth and so many changes taking place, providing the opportunity to re-examine and redefine the way we do business and serve the campus community. I'm excited about the chance to have a positive impact on the future of the organization."

Wichser, the director of NSU Housing advanced to director of Auxiliary Services in April. "This is a very exciting time to be working at the NSU," Wichser said. "We have a lot of progressive plans and believe we are assisting the University in moving toward a nationally competitive level. I see a lot of potential to do great things and make a positive difference to the Auxiliary Services program and to the students, staff, and faculty we serve."

As director of Auxiliary Services, Wichser manages Housing, the University Center, the University Bookstore, the Fitness Center, Motorpool, the Cue Bowl, NAB, The Drop Zone, and oversees of the food service contract with Sodexho.

"Auxiliary Services is one of the service components of the campus," said Wichser. "It is our collaborative job, as a service team, to deliver many of the retail and customer service components to the campus community, primarily to the students, but also to the faculty and staff."

Wichser earned his undergraduate degree from Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, in 1975, and received his Master of Adult Education from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in 1996.

Before coming to NSU, Wichser served as director of Housing and Residential Life at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth, from January 2002 to August 2004, and as associate director for Housing Facilities and Operations at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Wichser's short-term goal for Auxiliary Services is to improve customer service, revitalize Auxiliary budgets, and help educate the community on the many University programs that Auxiliary Services supports. The long-term goal is to assess how existing services may be improved and what type of services should be added to meet both campus and community needs and desires.

"We'll have a lot more focus groups and surveys to find out what we are doing well and what we could be doing better," Wichser said. "We'll work to modify services and service levels in order to provide our customers with all of their needs here on the campus, whether it's a room, a cup of coffee, executive-level catering services, course books, or a fitness workout ... we are here to provide all of those services and more."