UF President Ben Sasse has announced that Dave Kratzer, distinguished retired military general and former UF VP for Student Affairs, has been appointed to serve as Senior Vice President for Construction, Facilities, and Auxiliary Operations.

“Dave’s served UF well before — and it’s great news that we’re getting him back on campus to help lead our construction and facilities arm,” said Sasse. “It’s critical work with a tangible impact that affects all Gators. We have some big decisions before us, and I’m glad Dave is on the team.”

“It’s an honor to return to UF in a new capacity,” said Kratzer. “Serving our students and campus in this role is an exciting new challenge, and I’m looking forward to helping fulfill the President’s vision for the university. We are both committed to making sure that our students and faculty have the tools they need to go out and change the world.”

In this role, Kratzer returns to campus as a full-time Cabinet member and will provide strategic direction for enterprise construction projects, oversee capital facilities, and auxiliary operations. He will also serve as an administrative liaison to the UF Board of Trustees committee on facilities and capital investments.

Most recently, Kratzer served as an advisor to President Sasse while leading a cross-campus assessment in physical and digital infrastructure, as well as human capital needs.

Kratzer’s military service included deployments to Afghanistan and then to Kuwait and Iraq. He retired from the United States Army in 2006 with the rank of Major General.