CarterBaldwin Executive Search, together with Concordia University Chicago announces the appointment of John Thoelke as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. A member of the University’s Board of Regents since 2022, John will begin serving on October 27.
As CFO and a member of the President’s Cabinet, John will lead all financial operations of Concordia-Chicago. He will also partner with the Concordia University Chicago Foundation and act as liaison to the Financial and Capital Strategies & Audit Committee of the Board of Regents.
“I am delighted to welcome John back to his alma mater. He is smart, experienced, and unflappable,” University President Dr. Russell Dawn said of John. “In his service as a Regent he has demonstrated great wisdom and insight, not only understanding the numbers but seeing their broader effects and implications. Most of all, he is faithful to the Lord, the Church, and this beloved institution. I foresee many great years ahead with him at our financial helm.”
John currently serves as director of finance for Incarnate Word Academy in Houston, Texas. He returns to Concordia-Chicago with extensive financial management experience, including more than 25 years working with nonprofits. After earning a BA in business management, John went on to work as a field examiner for the Indiana State Board of Accounts, and then as finance director for the Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of St. Charles County in Missouri. He brings with him a deep understanding of financial planning and strategy, data-informed decision-making, and performance improvement — expertise that will be instrumental in shaping the University’s financial future.
Click here to read Concordia’s complete announcement.
About Concordia University-Chicago
Founded in 1864 as Addison Lutheran Teachers Seminary, Concordia University Chicago has grown from a small, single-discipline institution to a globally focused liberal arts university. For over 160 years, the University has been preparing the next generation of leaders with the knowledge, faith, and values to make an impact in the world. To share the gifts God gave them and answer the call to a life fulfilled by purpose and truth. To be living examples of what it means to serve a cause greater than themselves. Today, CUC is home to more than 5,000 full-time students enrolled in baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral study. Alongside the growth and changes experienced by the University, there has been one constant: Christ has always been held at the center of everything it does.
