Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke announced he has appointed Chris Ewing to serve as the new vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability at CU Boulder, effective April 1, following a national search.

Ewing has served in the role in an interim capacity since May of last year after serving for six years as the assistant vice chancellor for planning, design and construction. 

“I am excited that we have someone on our campus of Chris’ caliber who is ready to lead our Infrastructure & Sustainability team, and I’m grateful for his enthusiasm to do so,” O’Rourke said. “Chris’ leadership in an interim capacity proved invaluable as we began executing on priority initiatives of the Campus Master Plan. I’m excited for his vision for his new role, and also for Chris’ passion for equity and inclusivity both in leading his team and also in approaching our campus built environment. Chris will be a key leader in advancing our sustainability goals.”

During Ewing’s time as interim vice chancellor, Infrastructure & Sustainability has embarked on the creation of a Climate Action Plan that will help create a road map toward the university’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as the design of the first two new residential buildings envisioned in the 2021 Campus Master Plan. As an assistant vice chancellor, Ewing helped oversee multiple critical campus planning initiatives, including Strategic Facilities Visioning and the 2021 Campus Master Plan, which was approved by the CU Board of Regents in February 2022.

Ewing joined the university in 2008 as a project administrator/owner representative, acting as a liaison between project design and construction teams and campus clients. Before joining CU Boulder, Ewing served as an associate director of facilities for biopharmaceutical company Replidyne, Inc. Before taking that role, he was a project manager at a pre-construction and construction management consulting firm for biopharmaceutical clients. He started his professional career as an intern architect for a local architecture firm that specializes in the design of health care and senior living facilities. 

“I am humbled by the opportunity to continue serving the university in this role,” Ewing said. “Our I&S leadership team and staff are just as passionate as I am about supporting our students and campus community in meeting the mission of education and research. I’m excited to help foster continued innovation and a dedication to maintaining our beautiful Boulder campus infrastructure that enhances the student, faculty and staff experience.”

Ewing was born and raised in Costa Rica. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental design from CU Boulder and a master’s degree in business administration from Colorado State University. 

“I want to thank Executive Vice Provost for Academic Resource Management Ann Schmiesing for chairing our search committee, as well as the committee for their leadership and service in guiding a successful search,” O’Rourke said. “I also want to thank all of our campus community members who participated in candidate forums and finalist interviews. Their input proved invaluable as we completed the search process.”