Michael G. Perez, an accomplished university facilities operations and management leader for nearly 40 years—the last seven of which he’s served as associate vice chancellor and chief facilities officer at Vanderbilt—will retire from the university, effective December 2023. A national search is underway to identify his successor.
Perez joined Vanderbilt in June 2016 to oversee the university’s Facilities team, including numerous aspects of campus planning, facilities design and construction, building maintenance and operations. Before coming to Vanderbilt, he served as associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Utah for 14 years.
During his tenure, Perez has played a vital role in numerous campus construction projects, including the current renovation of Vanderbilt’s iconic Kirkland Hall; the $11.5 million renovation of Vanderbilt Divinity School, completed in 2017; the $23.6 million expansion of the School of Nursing, completed in 2019; the $55 million renovation and expansion of the Owen Graduate School of Management, completed in 2022; the completion of E. Bronson Ingram College and construction of Zeppos and Rothschild colleges; and construction and renovation of Vanderbilt athletics facilities, including the south end zone building and the basketball practice facility.
“Mike has been a dedicated and valued member of the Vanderbilt community,” Vice Chancellor for Administration Eric Kopstain said. “His leadership and expertise have been instrumental in shaping our campus with regard to the state-of-the-art facilities we enjoy today. Mike has been a true partner in our efforts to advance the university’s mission, and his contributions will be felt for years to come.”
Perez has played a key role in ensuring the safety and accessibility of Vanderbilt’s facilities, overseeing the creation of an Americans with Disabilities Act compliance program. He also was instrumental in the university’s BlueSky energy and large-scale renewable energy studies.
“It has been an honor to serve Vanderbilt and the greater Nashville community,” said Perez, who plans to relocate to Santa Fe, New Mexico, this summer. “I am proud of the work we have accomplished together, and I am confident that Vanderbilt’s Facilities team will continue to thrive under new leadership.”