Matt Kibbon named next associate VP for Facilities at UND

Kibbon, currently VP for finance and facilities at Minnesota West Community & Technical College, will start at UND on Sept. 9

Karla Stewart, UND vice president for finance & operations and chief operating officer, has named Matthew Kibbon as associate vice president for facilities following a nationwide search.

With more than a decade of experience overseeing complex facilities operations in higher education, Kibbon has developed robust expertise in the field, Stewart said. In previous roles, Kibbon focused on building research opportunities for both faculty and students, while engaging industry partners.

“We are excited to welcome Matt to UND,” Stewart said. “His extensive experience in higher education and municipal government is a wonderful fit for UND.”

Kibbon said he welcomed the chance to come to UND.

“I am thrilled to join the team at UND and contribute to the exciting work being done here,” he said. “This opportunity allows me to leverage my skills and experience in a dynamic environment, driving innovation and excellence.

“I look forward to positively impacting university life for students, faculty and staff by working closely with the facilities team, leadership, colleagues and external stakeholders.”

Mark Johnson, interim associate vice president for facilities, congratulated Kibbon on the appointment.

“As a member of the selection committee, I am excited by the news that Matthew Kibbon has been selected as the next associate vice president for facilities, and I am looking forward to welcoming him soon,” Johnson said.

“Matthew joins us with a broad and varied background in all aspects of facilities management, including planning, capital construction and facilities operations.

“He has a very collaborative approach which should make him well suited to this position. I believe his knowledge and experience in master planning will make him an integral part of helping UND move forward while supporting its mission.”

Kibbon comes to UND from Minnesota West Community and Technical College, where he served as the vice president for finance and facilities/chief financial officer since January. Additionally, Kibbon worked in a facilities leadership role in 2022 at Cleveland State University, where he served as the associate vice president for facilities.

Kibbon also served as the city administrator for North Platte, Neb., for two years. In this role, he worked with the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation on economic development, including securing financing for major projects such as Sustainable Beef, a state-of-the-art beef processing facility that’s estimated to have a $1 billion economic impact on the region.

Prior to his city administrator role, Kibbon managed the capital construction portfolio for higher education facilities in Wyoming for seven years. He acted as the owner’s representative and project liaison to the State Building Commission for community college projects at the state level.

At the University of Wyoming, Kibbon managed new construction projects totaling $250 million and an additional $300 million in design. These roles required collaborating closely with various stakeholders, including faculty, staff, deans, administration, the Board of Trustees Facilities Committee and legislators.

Kibbon earned his MBA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His bachelor’s degree in construction management comes from Wayne State College.

Kibbon will succeed Mark Johnson, who was named interim associate vice president in April 2024.