Philip Tahey has been appointed controller of The
Johns Hopkins University, effective Sept. 6. In his new
role, Tahey will lead the administration of financial
reporting for a university system that has grown to become,
in financial terms, a $2.8 billion business.
Specifically, he will oversee the
Controller's
Office, which has 140 full- and part-time employees in
the offices of Tax and Payroll, Cost Analysis and Research
Accounting, General Accounting, Accounting Services (which
includes Student Loans), Accounts Payable, Accounts
Receivable and Cash Accounting, and Financial Systems
Administration.
Tahey will also play an important role in the
development and implementation of
HopkinsOne,
the massive effort begun in January 2003 to re-engineer all
the financial and administrative processes of both the
university and health system. Once implemented, the
integrated Web-based system will effectively tie together
and streamline selected business functions, including
purchasing, accounts payable, payroll, sponsored projects
and human resources.
A Pittsburgh native and a cum laude graduate of Loyola
College in Maryland, Tahey worked for 20 years with
financial giant KPMG, a global provider of audit, risk
advisory and tax services. For several of those years,
Tahey was KPMG's lead partner on the Johns Hopkins account
and also was assigned to JHU as part of the external audit
team.
Since 2000, Tahey has operated as an independent
consultant, working with Bearing Point and advising many
colleges and universities, including Johns Hopkins, on
special assignments.
James McGill, senior vice president for finance and
administration, said that the university has found a
first-rate successor to Jerry Bridges, the controller of 18
years who retired in June. A national search for a new
controller was led by Herb Hansen, associate dean for
finance and administration at the School of Public
Health.
"Phil is an experienced accounting and financial
management professional, with considerable background in
and knowledge of higher education. Specifically, he has had
a long professional association with Johns Hopkins," said
McGill in a broadcast announcement of the appointment. "In
fact, Phil's expertise and experience make him unusually
well qualified to serve as the university's chief financial
reporting officer, to be point person for compliance with
the financial requirements of the federal government and
other research sponsors, and to act as a key leader in
HopkinsOne implementation."
From 1980 to 2000, Tahey worked with KPMG, where he
began as a staff accountant and worked his way up to audit
partner. Tahey specialized in academic medical centers,
higher education institutions, research organizations and
higher education industry associations. As audit partner,
he oversaw audit and certain consulting engagements ranging
from small nonprofit organizations with $10 million in
revenues to large research institutions with $3 billion in
revenues. Among his list of clients was Georgetown
University, Goucher College, Maryland Institute College of
Art and the Association of American Universities.
He worked in various positions in KPMG's Baltimore and
Washington, D.C., offices, serving clients in industries
including real estate development and financial
institutions. He also led and participated in several
initial public offerings of commercial clients.
As an independent consultant, he has assisted Johns
Hopkins in developing and implementing year-end closing and
financial process improvements in the General Accounting
Office; reviewed research administration in selected
departments; analyzed endowment investment pool accounts;
and assisted in HopkinsOne implementation.
Tahey said that he is eager to assume his new position
and continue a relationship that began 25 years ago. As a
KPMG staff accountant, one of his very first clients was
Johns Hopkins.
He said one of the biggest challenges ahead of him is
ensuring that the university, which receives more federal
research money than any other institution in the country,
remains in full compliance with all its sponsored
projects.
Tahey said he also realizes he has big shoes to
fill.
"I think I now know how Doug DeCinces felt when he
replaced Brooks Robinson at third base for the Orioles," he
said. "Jerry Bridges has built a wonderful staff and done a
magnificent job enhancing the reputation of the university.
He has many admirers among his peers. I hope to build upon
the work Jerry started and help lead the university through
the ongoing HopkinsOne implementation."
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