FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla.—Rick James, Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU’s) former Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for NSU Health, has been named Executive Vice President for Strategy and Operational Excellence for the university.
Rick James
In this new role, James will serve as the senior executive responsible for advancing NSU’s long-term strategy, operational reliability, performance excellence, and institutional effectiveness across all academic, clinical, research, and administrative units.
“I am honored to be appointed to this position, and I look forward to leading a great team that will keep NSU on course to respond successfully to current and future hurdles in higher education,” James said.
James, reporting directly to NSU President and CEO Harry K. Moon, will drive enterprise alignment, systemwide accountability, and execution discipline to support the university’s strategic growth, financial sustainability, and national reputation. Additionally, the Office of Human Resources will report to James.
“With his deep expertise in business design and optimization, I am confident that Rick can provide the knowledge, experience, and drive we need to further integrate and focus our efforts in this essential endeavor—an action that will help us manage our resources wisely, so we are even better prepared for the changes that lie ahead,” President Moon said. “The challenges facing higher education today are elevated and in a dynamic state. As a result, we must take action to leverage our resilience and strengths. Rick’s appointment and new role will help us continue to take proactive steps to be properly formulated, more effectively organized, and, therefore, better positioned to meet the projected pattern of expected enrollments.”
Working in close partnership with the executive leadership team, and under authority granted by the president, James and his team will oversee a comprehensive initiative to evaluate and strengthen the university’s strategic, operational, and organizational structures across all units, ensuring that NSU is well prepared for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
James will lead a cross-functional initiative to support initial phases of this effort, leveraging internal talent and ensuring that we apply the necessary institutional knowledge, combined with outside best practices and approaches.
James, the former chief development officer for HCA Healthcare’s East Florida Division, came to NSU in January 2024. At HCA, he was responsible for driving business growth in a region spanning Vero Beach to Miami, including 14 hospitals, 12 ambulatory surgery centers, 98 physician practices with 400 physicians, and 60 urgent care clinics with 22,000 employees and $5 billion-plus in revenue.
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Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is the largest private research university in Florida and a top employer in the state, with more than $5 billion in projected economic impact. NSU is classified as an R1 institution by the Carnegie Foundation among universities with the highest level of research activity. Visit www.nova.edu
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