Limestone University Tabs Eric McDonald As Interim Vice President For Finance & Administration

Limestone University has named Eric McDonald as its Interim Vice President For Finance & Administration. McDonald started his new duties at Limestone on Monday, Jan. 31.

McDonald recently retired as the Executive Vice President of Business Affairs at Spartanburg Methodist College. Serving SMC in that role for over six years, McDonald’s focal areas included the Business Office, Human Resources, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Accreditation, Strategic Planning, Risk Management, and the Campus Bookstore.

During his tenure at SMC as Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, some of McDonald’s accomplishments included instituting dynamic budgeting for internal reporting, restructuring the Business Office for future growth, and assisting the new President in acclimating to the campus environment in Spartanburg.

McDonald served as the Interim President at Spartanburg Methodist for several months in 2015.

Starting in 2008, McDonald began his career at SMC as the Vice President of Business Affairs. Over a seven-year period he led several initiatives including the reorganization of the Business Office, implementation of student processing, altering the college’s budget presentation to increase transparency, renegotiating food service and bookstore contracts, and issuing tax exempt bonds to finance the construction of a new $11 million academic building.

“It is an absolute privilege to join the Limestone family in this interim role,” McDonald said. “I am committed to working with our leadership team to ensure that our university is fiscally strong and healthy so that we can move forward and continue our mission of providing a quality education for our students.”

Earning his Bachelor of Art from Mercer University, McDonald received his Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His Certified Public Accounting certification came from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He has been a certified public accountant in both South Carolina and North Carolina since 1992 and has been a Chartered Management Accountant since 2014.

McDonald was a Senior Accounting with Brock, Padgett, and Chandler in Wilmington, NC from 1994 through 1999. He was an Accounting Services Manager for McAbee, Talbert, Halliday & Co. in Spartanburg from 1999 through 2008.

“We are incredibly grateful that Eric has agreed to serve in this interim capacity at Limestone,” said Acting President Dr. Monica Baloga. “He resonates with Limestone’s mission and campus culture. His expertise is drawn from years of experience in both the public sector and in higher education. We are confident in his abilities that will assist our university in stabilizing our financial situation and helping us move forward with confidence. We are working diligently to better align our resources to strengthen our foundation and grow our university.”