- Emailkabourek.2@osu.edu
- Office
University Square South
A veteran leader with nearly 30 years of experience in public higher education, Chris Kabourek began his role as senior vice president in Ohio State’s Office of Administration and Planning on Nov. 1, 2024.
As senior vice president, Kabourek leads a team of more than 1,800 dedicated Ohio State staff who together support the day-to-day operations of the university. Kabourek oversees the Department of Public Safety (including the police division); Facilities Operations and Development; the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation; Planning, Architecture and Real Estate; Transportation and Traffic Management; UniPrint; and WOSU Public Media.
Kabourek came to Ohio State from the University of Nebraska, his alma mater, where he capped a 27-year tenure by serving as interim president in addition to his role as chief financial officer. As president, Kabourek led a system that enrolls 50,000 students and employs 16,000 faculty and staff on four campuses across the state, including a Big Ten flagship and an academic health sciences center. During his presidency, Kabourek launched the Presidential Scholars, a full-ride scholarship program for Nebraska’s elite academic performers. He was also responsible for hiring the Huskers’ athletic director and represented Nebraska on the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors.
As Nebraska’s CFO, Kabourek oversaw all financial and administrative services supporting the university’s operating budget. In that role, he worked closely with the elected Board of Regents, senior administration and state government leaders on areas including budgeting, facilities and capital planning, accounting, procurement, human resources and information technology.
Kabourek was the chief architect of the university’s deferred maintenance strategy that will address more than $800 million in facility needs while positioning Nebraska to become self-sustaining in maintaining its buildings. Kabourek played a key role in the creation of the Nebraska Promise program that provides free tuition to Nebraska students with high financial need. He also provided leadership on strategic planning efforts and numerous legislative and capital budget requests and helped Nebraska consistently secure high marks from credit ratings agencies that saved taxpayer dollars while supporting the university’s academic mission.
Raised in David City, a small farming community in rural Nebraska, Kabourek is a first-generation college student who relied on scholarships and grants to support his education. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University and an MBA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Kabourek is active in the community as a high school and college basketball referee and a youth sports coach. He and his wife, Jamie, have three sons and two dogs.