LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University has officially welcomed Chief Information Officer Tom Hull to its executive leadership team. Hull has 28 years of IT experience and has served as CIO for several universities including Virginia Commonwealth and, most recently, Pace University in New York.
“Tom is a proven visionary in the field of information technology,” said Ava Parker, Florida Poly’s chief operating officer. “We are delighted and fortunate to have him as a member of our leadership team, and already we are seeing the benefits of his expertise.”
Hull, whose background includes strategic technology planning for IBM and the Pentagon, will be the driving force behind Florida Poly’s technology systems and strategy. His efforts will play a major role in creating the university’s cutting-edge, 21st century academic environment.
“I want everyone to know that Florida Poly is going to be a modern, tech-savvy university from the start, and it’s going to build into a world-renowned STEM institution,” said Hull, who envisions Florida Poly rapidly rising to the ranks of esteemed polytechnic institutions like MIT, Georgia Tech and Cal Poly.
Parker shares that vision and believes in its achievability.
“We’re building a 21st century university from the ground up, and we have a much better understanding of how fast technology changes,” said Parker. “As legacy universities grow, they must unravel and retrofit old systems to remain competitive. Florida Poly will launch with advanced tools and platforms that are built to evolve with our high-tech era.”
The tools and platforms that Hull will directly shape include Florida Poly’s student information system, campus communications system, classroom technologies and curriculum delivery methods.
His job is no small undertaking, but Hull is invigorated.
“We’re starting the 12th university in Florida’s State System. There’s no other activity like that currently in the United States,” said Hull. “This is the most exciting thing happening in higher education in the country right now.”
