Welcoming our new Vice President for Capital Planning and Campus Operations
Dear Lumberjacks,
Great news comes in waves, and I am thrilled to tell you about another new member of the Lumberjack family. John Holmes Jr. will join us in January as Vice President for Capital Planning and Campus Operations (CAPCO).
We were looking for a leader who could step in and immediately advance the priorities of NAU 2025 – Elevating Excellence, bring the Sustainable Smart Campus Master Planning process to a successful conclusion, and support the exceptional team in CAPCO. With more than 20 years of relevant experience, we are confident that John brings the necessary skills, energy, and leadership to this important position at NAU. As John shared during the search process, this position represents the professional culmination of his career.
“This is an extremely important position for our university that touches on everything from master planning and sustainability to maintenance, transportation, and public safety,” said Bjorn Flugstad, Senior Vice President for University Operations. “John told us that he was looking for the challenges and opportunities that NAU offers and, thanks to his impressive background and authentic engagement with so many constituents throughout the search process, I know that he is the right person to advance our work in building the New NAU.”
Throughout his career, John has demonstrated a desire to learn and grow to be at the forefront of innovations in facilities management and campus operations. He has done so with a people-first leadership style that empowers teams to be successful in a dynamic operating environment. These characteristics helped John stand out from a talented field of applicants, and I look forward to the passion and enthusiasm he will bring to this role at NAU.
“I have spent a lifetime working to be where I am today—a member of this amazing Lumberjack community,” Holmes said. “I have seen what has been happening at NAU over the past year, and I am excited to be a part of this university that is on such a positive trajectory. I have always been driven to lead with insight and empathy, and I know I am making the right decision to come to NAU because that is the culture of CAPCO and the entire university community. My thanks to President Cruz Rivera and Senior Vice President Bjorn Flugstad for giving me this opportunity.”
John has served as the associate vice president for facilities and campus operations at Houston Christian University for the past eight years. He has also served as the director of facilities for the Fort Bend Independent School District and held multiple leadership positions with ARAMARK. He earned a master’s of business administration from the University of Phoenix and is working on his doctorate degree.
My sincere thanks to the members of the search committee for their tremendous efforts over the last few months and to our university community for their thoughtful engagement and feedback. A special note of thanks to Bjorn, who has done so much to lead our university operations enterprise over the last year and helped secure the conditions for a strong future for our university.
Please join me in welcoming John Holmes Jr. to Northern Arizona University!
Sincerely,
José Luis Cruz Rivera
President