Tulane University Vice President Randy Philipson will replace Dave Kratzer as UF’s vice president for construction and facilities beginning July 22, according to a news release.
Kratzer will step back to work part-time on select university projects, the news release said. It was unclear why Kratzer stepped down from his vice presidency.
“Lots of people wanted him, but we got him,” UF President Ben Sasse wrote. “His experience is a great fit for what we need: an experienced leader who has the bandwidth to ride herd on all the buildings – old, new and under construction – of a $10 billion enterprise.”
From 2006 to 2013, Philipson was the director of engineering and operations for SMG Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Smoothie King Center and Champions Square in New Orleans. He coordinated with FEMA after Hurricane Katrina.
He became director of facilities and regional director of operations for SMG New Orleans where he managed 30 facilities across the country, including five NFL stadiums.
He chairs the parking and transportation subcommittee for the upcoming Super Bowl LIX Host Committee and is a board member of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.
Philipson joined Tulane University in 2015 as vice president for facilities, campus development and real estate. Some of his achievements include renovating the 600,000-square-foot Tulane Medical Center and generating $1 billion from projects such as a 77,000-square-foot dining hall called The Commons. Philipson earned his master’s in business administration from Tulane in 2023.
Philipson wrote he was excited to join UF and to support Sasse’s vision of transforming the student experience.
“I’m also grateful to General Dave Kratzer for stepping in to take the helm,” Sasse wrote. “Dave knows all about answering the call of duty for his country, and he answered UF’s call, too.”
Contact Timothy Wang at twang@alligator.org. Follow him on X @timothyw_g
Timothy Wang is a junior journalism student and the Fall 2024 Santa Fe College Reporter. He was the University Administration reporter for Summer 2024. His hobbies include gaming or reading manga.
