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University of Wisconsin System President Kevin P. Reilly announced today that he will recommend former University of Wisconsin Oshkosh professor Dr. David J. Ward as the interim chancellor for UW-Green Bay. If approved by the UW System Board of Regents, Ward will step into the interim role on June 23, replacing Chancellor Bruce Shepard, who served as UW-Green Bay’s chancellor since 2001. Shepard was recently named the next president of Western Washington University.

Ward’s 31-year UW System career culminated with him serving six years as senior vice president for academic affairs at UW System Administration. He is currently president of NorthStar Economics Inc., a Madison-based private economic consulting and research firm he established in 2000.

“David’s wide breadth of experience will no doubt continue the positive momentum the campus has achieved during Bruce’s tenure,” said Reilly. “David has a unique knowledge of the campus and the local community. He brings an in-depth understanding of the region’s economic needs and the importance of our Growth Agenda for Wisconsin.”

Born and raised in Green Bay, Ward began his college education at the two-year UW-Green Bay Extension campus, as it was then called. After completing his undergraduate degree and Ph.D. at UW-Madison, Ward started his academic career at UW-Green Bay, which became a four-year comprehensive university in 1968.

He became a member of UW Oshkosh’s faculty in the College of Business Administration, and went on to hold numerous positions at the campus including chair of the department of Finance and Business Law, vice chancellor and chief academic officer and acting chancellor.

During his career as a professor of finance, Ward was active as a financial and economic consultant, working with a number of private sector firms including Kimberly Clark, Honeywell, and Lands’ End. In 2005, he was honored with the UW Oshkosh Chancellor’s Medallion for his 18 years of service to the school.