Alberts Announces Ewald as Chief Financial Officer of NU Athletic Department

LINCOLN–(NU Athletics Oct. 6)–The University of Nebraska Athletic Department and Vice Chancellor, Director of Athletics Trev Alberts announced Wednesday the addition of Doug Ewald as Executive Associate Athletic Director and Chief Financial Officer. Ewald is an experienced expert in the financial and accounting field, having worked for more than 30 years in Nebraska’s private and public sectors.

Ewald joins Husker Athletics after spending the past three years as the Vice Chancellor for Business, Finance and Business Development at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In his new position, Ewald will oversee the athletic department’s business operations and serve as a key member of Alberts’ senior administrative staff.

“I am thrilled to add Doug Ewald to our senior staff in Husker Athletics,” Alberts said. “Doug brings a diverse set of experience in the financial, accounting and business world to our team. He is a proven leader with a history of sound fiscal decision-making and strategic financial planning. The business model of college athletics is undergoing unprecedented change, and we are fortunate to have a veteran leader in place to help us navigate this crucial period.”

In his prior role on the Omaha campuses, Ewald oversaw all budget, finance, operational and administrative services, as well as all business development activities in support of Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. In total, Ewald oversaw more than 600 employees across the two campuses in the University of Nebraska system.

Ewald has a wide range of experience during his three decades of professional work in the business and finance world. His most public role involved serving as Nebraska’s Tax Commissioner under Gov. Dave Heineman from 2006 to 2013. In this position, he restructured the department into a more customer-responsive agency and successfully promoted the use of electronic tax-return filing, making Nebraska a leading state in this category.

In addition to his work for the state, Ewald spent 17 years with Union Pacific, ultimately serving as the company’s director of state tax compliance, audit and financial reporting. His other employers have included Omaha-based KPMG, where he served as managing director of state and local tax compliance from 2013 to 2017, and Lincoln-based Ameritas, where he served as tax director from 2017 until 2018.

“It is a privilege to serve as the CFO for Husker Athletics,” Ewald said.  “The success of the Athletic Department is an important part of the Nebraska culture, and I appreciate the confidence that Trev Alberts, Chancellor Green, and President Carter have placed in me.  I look forward to joining the senior staff in Husker Athletics, as we develop a business model that contributes to our unity of purpose.”

A lifelong Nebraskan, Ewald holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Buena Vista University (1985) and a master’s degree in professional accounting from UNO (1989). Ewald has been a Certified Public Accountant within the state of Nebraska since 1987. He is also a member of the AICPA and Nebraska Society of CPAs.

Ewald has received recognition from his alma maters, earning the UNO College of Business Administration’s “Distinguished Alumnus” award in 2015 and Buena Vista University’s “John Fisher Alumni Award” in 2010.