Ithaca College has named Janet Williams to serve as Controller, a position that provides leadership and strategic direction for the college’s finance operations. She will begin her new duties on Feb. 8.
Williams has over two decades of experience in operations management, financial management, strategic planning, budget/forecast planning, proposal preparation and capital projects. Since 2012 she has served as director of finance and administration for the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University, with oversight of all finance, procurement, facilities, human resources and information technology functions.
She had previously served in several senior financial and operations management roles with Lockheed Martin, Corning Inc. and Kraft Foods.
“Janet will add significant value and insight to our financial operations, and I am very excited to have her join the IC community,” said Gerald Hector, vice president for finance and administration.
Williams will work with Hector to develop and implement short- and long-term strategies, financial policies and internal financial controls in support of the college’s mission and vision. She will supervise the directors of financial services, budget and procurement as well as the information systems manager.
A member of the New York State Society of CPAs, Williams holds a B.B.A. in accounting from the University of Texas, Austin, and an M.B.A. in production operations management from the University of North Texas, Denton.
Williams brings her professional expertise to volunteer leadership roles with a number of nonprofit community organizations, including the Children’s Home in Binghamton, Economic Opportunity Program/Community Action Agency in Elmira and Friendship Baptist Church Missions Ministry in Corning. She has led humanitarian missions to Haiti and Jamaica, and participated in missions to Liberia and Ghana, among other countries.
Williams succeeds Robert Cree, who accepted a position last September as chief financial officer at Wells College.