A&M System names Barton vice chancellor for business affairs

Texas A&M University System’s board of regents officially appointed John Barton as vice chancellor for business affairs. He had been serving as interim vice chancellor since January.

“John has already been doing the job, and doing it exceptionally well,” Chancellor Glenn Hegar said in a news release Sept. 3. “He listens, solves problems and takes care of people and public resources. We are fortunate to have him.”

The gist

In his role, Barton oversees the university system’s offices responsible for facilities and construction, risk management and real estate, as well as management and system training, according to the system’s news release.

How we got here

The university system said Barton has 39 years of experience in state government, higher education and the private sector. He’s worked on “major construction programs,” partnerships and financial stewardship, among others.

Barton began working at the Texas Department of Transportation in 1986 and moved up in ranks through the decades, eventually overseeing a $10 billion annual budget.

“He knows how Texas works because he has spent nearly four decades helping it work,” Hegar said.

What else?

Barton's appointment was announced alongside the university system's adopted five-year strategic plan for student success.