In 1969, Vice President of Finance Chuck Lamb came to Marquette as an undergraduate. He’s been a part of the Marquette community for the 36 of the 43 years since.

Lamb earned his undergraduate and masters degrees in economics and finance from Marquette’s College of Business Administration in 1973 and 1976, respectively. He has been the vice president of finance for the university for the last decade.

“Marquette has been good to me,” Lamb said. “I intend to stay here.”

Lamb oversees all financial matters of the institution, including Marquette’s cash reserves, endowment, debt management, operating budget and capital budget. He said he likes working in finance because it is a back room operation. He makes sure there is enough money to educate students and that everything gets done.

“I want to make sure we are using our resources well,” Lamb said.

According to Lamb, University President the Rev. Scott Pilarz brought a new transparency to Marquette.

“We want to make people more aware of the finances of the institution,” Lamb said.

The University Financial Planning and Review Committee was reorganized at the start of the academic year at Pilarz’s request to make the process of fiscal planning more open and inclusive. Minutes from all of the committee meeting are now available online through the Marquette network. One of the biggest changes is that two students now sit on the committee and are involved in the decision-making process.

“It is a tremendous change in how we do business,” Lamb said.

Art Scheuber, vice president for administration also serves on the committee. Scheuber said the goal of the committee is to represent all areas of campus.

“We will be successful when, through this transparency and inclusiveness, the Marquette community recognizes that we’re being good stewards of the university’s financial resources,” Scheuber said.

He said Lamb is the driver to the committee and ensures that it takes a strategic and holistic approach to the university’s finances.

Brittany Riesenbeck, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, also sits with Lamb on the committee. Riesenbeck said Lamb takes the time to break down very complicated processes and information to help every member of the committee understand them. She said he also encourages discussion, questions and comments.

Riesenbeck said she enjoys hearing Lamb’s anecdotes about what Marquette was like when he was a student.

“You can tell how much (Lamb) loves Marquette,” Riesenbeck said.

Lamb said Marquette is much different from when he attended when he could work as a fork lift driver all summer and pay for his Marquette education. His goal for the future is to keep education affordable.

Lamb said he enjoys what Jesuits bring to higher education and Marquette’s understanding of Ignatian spirituality. He said living up to the university’s mission is very important to him.

“I don’t make lots of money,” Lamb said. “I do it for the institution.”

Lamb met his wife here during his junior year. Both of his daughters also graduated from Marquette. He also taught economics at Marquette as an adjunct professor for three years after he graduated with his master’s degree.

“It was a great experience to be able to give something back to students,” Lamb said. “My favorite part (of working at Marquette) is going to graduation and knowing that (the graduates) will make a difference.”