Florida Southern College will draw from the city of Lakeland to replace one of its most experienced executives.
The college announced that Michael Brossart will start Oct. 1 as executive vice president for finance and administration, succeeding Terry Dennis, who will retire after 37 years with the Lakeland school.
Brossart, Lakeland’s finance director since 2013, has spent about 30 years as a city employee. He is a graduate of Florida Southern, holding dual bachelor’s degrees in accounting and marketing and behavior management.
“Mike brings significant expertise amassed over his distinguished career,” Florida Southern College President Jeremy Martin said in a news release. “The range of projects and initiatives on which he has worked is impressive. Just as important, Mike is a leader respected for his character, trustworthiness and work ethic. As an alumnus and lifelong Lakelander, serving the College and this community hold great meaning for him.”
Brossart will remain with Lakeland through completion of the budgeting process before the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.
In his role at Florida Southern, Brossart will serve as the college’s chief financial and administrative officer, providing strategic leadership for financial operations, facilities, human resources, information technology, campus safety, risk management, auxiliary services and other key administrative functions, the release said. He will work closely with Martin and the Board of Trustees.
Brossart is a certified public accountant, certified government finance officer and certified public manager. Throughout his career with Lakeland, Brossart has overseen financial strategy, budgeting, capital planning, human resources, risk management, labor relations and enterprise operations while serving as an adviser to city leadership, the news release said.
“During the search, a number of individuals observed that leading finance and administration on a campus is ‘like running a small city,’” Martin said. “All of the lessons learned and wisdom gained throughout his tenure with the City of Lakeland will greatly benefit the Florida Southern campus.”
Brossart led financial planning and budget oversight for 17 city departments, including Lakeland Electric and the RP Funding Center. Brossart also managed long-range financial planning and capital financing initiatives, oversaw major infrastructure investments, led collective bargaining negotiations and worked closely with elected officials and community partners on economic projects, the release said.
Brossart led negotiations on the two most recent lease extensions for Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers.
“Mr. Brossart’s three decades of service to the City of Lakeland reflect an extraordinary career built on expertise, dedication, integrity and a profound commitment to our community. His leadership has helped shape the strength of our organization, and his impact will be felt for many years to come,” Lakeland City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said in the release. “Mike will remain a trusted friend to the City of Lakeland, and we are excited to see him begin this next chapter at Florida Southern College and wish him continued success.”
Dennis, who will remain on the staff until Brossart’s arrival, is a Louisiana native who came to Lakeland in the late 1970s to take an accounting position with Wilkor, a now-defunct catalog store. He gained a position as financial controller at Florida Southern in 1989 and moved into his current role in 1996.
“I am excited about that (transition), because I know Mike, and I can’t think of a better person that I can kind of hand the reins over to after my time here,” Dennis said.
In working for four college presidents, Dennis has overseen an array of construction projects at Florida Southern. Those include the Barnett Residential Life Complex, the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center and Usonian House, the Becker Business Building and the Adams Athletic Performance Center.
Dennis has overseen maintenance of the 13 structures on campus designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, probably the country’s most revered architect. Most recently, he has directed repairs to the roof of Annie Pfeiffer Chapel, the signature building on campus.
Dennis managed all aspects of the campus, as well as safety, technology and human resources, as well as finances.
“I’m never bored here, but that’s what makes it so much fun for me around here is I never did the same thing two days in a row,” Dennis said. “There’s so much going on. It’s a funny thing that, no matter what you do on the college campus, you either are bringing in money or wanting to spend money, and since I was in the finance area, I kind of got to be involved with everything that went on here for all those years. So that makes it a really exciting, fun job.”
It was at Florida Southern that Dennis met his wife, Lynn Dennis, who is retired after 48 years of working for the college. Terry and Lynn are avid backers of Florida Southern athletics, especially women’s sports, and he said they will continue to attend games on campus.
“Few people have shaped Florida Southern more than Terry Dennis,” Martin said. “His steadfast leadership and commitment to excellence have left an enduring mark on this College. Truly, his fingerprints can be seen in every aspect of the College’s operations. We are deeply grateful for his decades of service and pleased that he will help guide this important transition.”
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Brossart will exit Lakeland role for executive job at Florida Southern
Reporting by Gary White, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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By Gary White, Lakeland Ledger | USA TODAY Network
