The University of Illinois Board of Trustees on Sept. 13 elected Howard S. Engel as treasurer, accepted the resignation of Lester H. McKeever Jr. as treasurer and adopted resolutions recognizing the service of former trustees Patricia Brown Holmes and Donald J. Edwards.

Trustee Ray Cepeda moved Engel's nomination, describing him as a retired Deloitte partner and long-time adjunct at the Gies College of Business. The motion was seconded by Trustee Basta. The board voted unanimously to approve the appointment; Engel said he was honored and hoped to "build on the legacy of Lester McKeever." Chair Timothy Ruiz said Engel would serve through Jan. 31, 2027, or 31 years from that day, whichever trustees' records formalize.

Separately, the board adopted resolutions expressing appreciation for Patricia Brown Holmes, who served two nonconsecutive terms as a trustee from 2011 to 2017 and from 2019 until January of this year, and for Donald J. Edwards, who served on the board beginning in 2017 and as chair from 2019 until his term ended in January. Trustees and university leaders praised Edwards for fostering alignment among the board, administration and state leadership and for leading the university through the COVID-19 pandemic and other major initiatives.

The meeting also included a formal resolution thanking Lester H. McKeever Jr., a 1955 alumnus and the university's longest-serving treasurer, who officially concluded more than 30 years in the role. Trustees and President Don Killeen credited McKeever with stewarding resources, advancing transparency and supporting institutional financial stability.

Why this matters: The treasurer position is a statutory board officer responsible for custody and oversight of financial records and coordination with system finance offices. The change in treasurer comes as the board approved the FY2026 operating budget and considered several finance and investment items.

What trustees recorded: The motions to nominate and elect Engel were made in open session, seconded and approved by voice vote. The board also adopted formal resolutions honoring each of the departing officials; the board said each resolution and any accompanying remarks would be entered into the public record and the university will work to schedule additional in-person recognition events.

No decisions were announced that would change ongoing financial controls or investment policy as a direct result of the personnel changes.