Saint Augustine’s Appoints Gwendolyn M. Kea Vice President for Business and Administration
RALEIGH, NC — Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) has named Gwendolyn M. Kea as the Vice President for Business and Administration, effective July 11, 2022. Kea is responsible for auxiliary enterprises, university budgets, capital, and financial planning, accounting, purchasing, student accounts, facilities management, central receiving, and treasury functions. With nearly 15 years of experience in for-profit, nonprofit and higher education administration, Kea will report to SAU President Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail. In addition, she will be an advisor on various accounting, budget, capital, financial, and business operations.
Kea comes to the University after serving as the Director of Finance at the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC) in Raleigh, North Carolina. During her tenure with SEANC, she drove the company’s financial planning, supervised the financial office staff, managed all aspects of Human Resources, and oversaw all audit and internal operations.
Before serving at SEANC, Kea was the Vice President for Fiscal Affairs and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Shaw University. In addition, she participated in decision-making, policy formulation, and discussion of strategic directions as a member of the President’s Executive Council. Her prior management positions included Controller at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC, and GeoCapital Partners, LLC in Durham, NC. In addition, Kea is the President and Owner of Premier Tax & Accounting Group. Her experience includes directly managing the Financial Division for eight Domestic Venture Capital Funds and two Foreign Venture Capital Funds with Capital Commitments totaling $500 million.
“Ms. Kea is an experienced and enthusiastic finance professional with a proven track record,” said SAU President Dr. McPhail. “I have confidence that Gwen is the right person to lead the university’s business and administration division by formulating policies that ensure university sustainability.”
Kea has quickly earned a reputation for rapidly delivering results in for-profit and nonprofit business entities. In higher education, she has provided leadership in developing multi-year financial statement audits, budgeting processes, and policy and procedure manuals. In addition, she has provided financial statement preparation and site visit preparation for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
“I am excited to be a part of advancing the President’s vision as a member of the Saint Augustine’s University community,” Kea said. “I welcome the opportunity to work with faculty, students, and staff to strengthen SAU’s business operations under Dr. McPhail’s leadership.”
Gwendolyn M. Kea graduated from Shaw University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She completed her Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Strayer University. She is a native of Philadelphia, PA, and holds memberships with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), the National Society of Accountants (NSA), and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
About Saint Augustine’s University
Founded in 1867 by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, the mission of Saint Augustine’s University is to sustain a learning community in which students can prepare academically, socially, and spiritually for leadership in a complex, diverse, and rapidly changing world.