University of Phoenix Board of Trustees names Blair Westblom as Chief Financial Officer
By Sharla Hooper
Jeff Honaker also appointed as new Chief Accounting Officer
University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Blair Westblom was approved by the Board of Trustees to assume the role of Chief Financial Officer of the University. The University of Phoenix is also pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Honaker as the new Chief Accounting Officer and Controller.
“Blair is well prepared to lead our Finance organization as Chief Financial Officer and join our dynamic Senior Leadership Team,” states University of Phoenix President Chris Lynne. “I look forward to the leadership impact that Blair and Jeff will have on our university's mission and service to our students and alumni.”
A seasoned financial leader with more than 20 years of experience in public, Fortune 500, and private companies across a variety of industries, Westblom joined the University of Phoenix in 2010, where her career and responsibilities quickly grew from an Associate Director to Director to Senior Director in the Finance organization to Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis. Her responsibilities have included leading annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and long-range strategic planning processes, partnering with C-level executives to optimize top and bottom-line performance in support of university mission and strategic objectives, enhancing support to students, and providing financial reporting and insights to the Board of Trustee's Finance Committee.
Prior to joining the University, Westblom held finance and controller leadership roles at Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche, which is a $259 billion pharmaceuticals and diagnostics business in Europe, North America, and Asia. She also served as a financial analyst at Thomas Weisel Partners, a subsidiary of Stifel Financial, a $6 billion financial holding company that provides retail and institutional wealth management and investment banking services. Blair is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a minor in Business Administration.
Honaker has been named the University's Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) and Controller. In this role, Honaker reports to the Chief Financial Officer. Honaker joined the University in 2008 as Manager of Financial Reporting before transitioning to the role of Controller where he became responsible for leading several Finance functions. Honaker’s elevation to the CAO role reflects his level of expertise in all aspects of accounting. Prior to joining the University of Phoenix, he worked in the assurance practice at Ernst & Young. Honaker earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting with the University of Southern California.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.
