Office of the Business Manager records

In 1950, Lincoln C. Bateson was hired for the position of Financial Officer for Northeastern University. Professor Edward S. Parsons held the post of Business Manager at the time. Parsons had essentially been doing both jobs until Bateson was hired in 1950. Bateson, as Financial Officer, was responsible for fiscal affairs including student tuition, taxes, audits, budgets, and salaries. Parsons was responsible for the physical plant including maintenance and furnishings. He also headed Student Activities and was a member of the faculty. By the 1960s, however, Parsons's Business Manager position included too many "auxiliary" areas that had been added to the Business Manager portfolio because they did not fit clearly into any other administrative area. Parsons was not only responsible for the duties outlined above, but he was also in charge of the bookstore, food services, and the construction of new buildings as the University expanded. In 1966, some of these "auxiliary services" were split off and added to Bateson's duties as Director of Finance. In 1967, Bateson's title changed again as the head of financial services was made a vice presidential position and he became the Vice President-Finance. Following Parsons's retirement in 1968 many of the responsibilities of the Business and Finance offices were recombined, including budget and internal auditing, management of housing, the bookstore, and food services. In 1970, Daniel J. Roberts assumed the vacant position of Vice President-Finance and held the post until Bateson's retirement in 1974. When Bateson retired, the two positions were merged again, and Roberts became the new Vice President-Business/Finance. By the end of 1974, there was another title change with the positions split apart again, leaving Roberts as Vice President-Business and Edmund L. Deltano, former Comptroller, as Vice President-Finance and Comptroller. Roberts remained in the vice presidential position until 1980, at which time he took the post of NU's Treasurer and John A. Martin became the Vice President-Business. Deltano kept his post until 1990 when the position of Vice President-Finance was cut and the duties divided between the Treasurer and the Vice President-Business. In 2002, Martin retired from the Vice President-Business position and the vice presidential title was changed to the Office of the Business Manager. The Office is currently made up of 12 departments including building services, food services, the bookstore, physical plant, and purchasing.

1950

Lincoln C. Bateson hired as Financial Officer; Professor Edward S. Parsons acting as Business Officer and manager of the physical plant

1966

Director of Finance position created and held by Bateson

1967

Vice President-Finance position created and held by Bateson

1968

Vice President-Business position created and held by Parsons

1968

Parsons retires

1969

Bateson takes over the Vice President-Business position; Vice President-Finance vacant

1970

Daniel J. Roberts takes new merged Vice President-Business/Finance position

1974

Bateson retires; Roberts remains as Vice President-Business; Edmund L. Deltano takes new position as Vice President-Finance and Comptroller

1980

Roberts moves to position of Treasurer; John A. Martin takes post as Vice President-Business; Deltano remains as Vice President-Finance

1990

Vice President-Finance position cut; duties divided between Treasurer and Vice President-Business

2002

Martin retires; Vice President-Business changed to Office of the Business Manager

2006

William E. Mallon named Business Manager