Brian Thomason

Brian M. Thomason, MBA, CPA, joined the University of Portland in 2026, as Vice President for Financial Affairs.  Thomason has more than 25 years of experience in higher education finance and accounting.  He previously served as Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Chapman University, which he joined in 2021 as Vice President of Finance and Controller.  Thomason began his career at Pepperdine University and later held leadership roles there, including University Controller and Associate Vice President.  He also served at J.P. Morgan as a higher education industry expert.

Thomason holds an MBA in Finance from Auburn University and a BBA in Finance from Abilene Christian University.  A licensed CPA in California, he has taught at Pepperdine and Chapman and is actively involved in professional organizations including WACUBO and NACUBO.  He also serves in leadership roles with St. John’s Episcopal Church, the BMW Car Club of America, and Global Samaritan Resources.