July 12, 2024
Flax appointed interim assistant vice president for academic and research IT
Submitted by Division of Information Technology
Gregory Flax was appointed interim assistant vice president for academic and research IT on July 8. In his new role, Flax will partner with the chief information officer, provost and executive vice president, vice president for research, academic and associate deans to develop and lead the organization's strategy and manage the academic IT and research support unit.
He will advise and support senior executive leadership by providing insights and expertise in academic technology, research strategies, and operations that aid in strategic planning and decision-making. Flax will use his experience in vendor and stakeholder management, including service-level agreement negotiation and partnership development, to support campus initiatives.
"Gregory has over 30 years of technical and supervisory experience in multiple industries, including developing and managing large and complex technology environments in higher education," said Thomas Bunton, associate vice president and chief information officer. "During his time at K-State, he has transformed the Service Desk operations, increasing efficiency and meeting the demands of an ever-changing technology landscape. Gregory has collaborated and built relationships with departments and divisions across K-State's three campuses."
Flax joined the university in 2021 as the director of service desk operations under the Division of Information Technology. He has provided strategic planning and leadership across three functional groups: IT Service Desk, IT Equipment Checkout and Classroom A/V Tech Support.
He started his career at Midwest Energy and transitioned to Koch Industries, Alterra Bank and ECCO Select roles. Flax is a former business owner who successfully launched two businesses from scratch. He has worked in higher education at the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri.
Flax has a master's degree in business management and a Bachelor of Business Administration in data processing from Fort Hays State University. He has PMI education with expertise in project management and is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified.
During the interim, Chad Currier, assistant vice president and chief technology officer, will oversee the Service Desk and manage Flax's direct reports.
A national search for assistant vice president for academic and research IT will begin in the coming weeks.