D. Merrill Ewert, Ph.D.

President
Office location: McDonald Hall
Telephone: 559-453-2010
Fax: 559-453-2007
Email: fpupres@fresno.edu

Education, church and community are the three threads that weave through the career of D. Merrill Ewert, 10th president of Fresno Pacific University. In 2002, Ewert came to FPU from Cornell University where he had served as a professor in education, the director of Cornell Cooperative Extension and associate dean for outreach in the colleges of agriculture and human ecology. He had previously taught at the University of Maryland and served as the director of extension and continuing education at Wheaton College (Ill.). He spent seven years in Africa in the areas of relief and community development with the Mennonite Brethren Church, the Mennonite Central Committee and MAP International. As a Fulbright Senior Scholar, Ewert did research in the Philippines on the process through which community-based organizations build "social capital" and strengthen civil society.

Steve Varvis, Ph.D.

Interim Provost and Vice President for Enrollment Management
Office location: McDonald Hall
Telephone: 559-453-2031
Fax: 559-453-2007
Email: slvarvis@fresno.edu

Since 1985, Steve Varvis has been shaping the lives of future leaders at Fresno Pacific University. He has worked in a variety of roles at FPU, from history professor to undergraduate dean, and vice president for enrollment management. In his current role he is responsible with the deans of the schools and other leaders for the academic and student life programs and personnel of the university, and for encouraging and celebrating the ongoing accomplishments of faculty and students. His academic interests and scholarship are in medieval and early modern intellectual and world history, and in special topics like the history of political thought and business ethics. He received his bachelor of arts from California State University, Fresno, and his doctorate from Claremont Graduate University.

Steve blogs about life in higher education for Fresno Pacific. Take a look at his blog: http://blogs.fresno.edu/stevevarvis/

Dick Herrinton

Interim Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs
Office location: McDonald Hall
Telephone: 559-453-2252
Fax: 559-453-2007
Email: dick.herrinton@fresno.edu

Mark Deffenbacher

Vice President for Advancement and University Relations
Executive Director FPU Foundation
Office location: McDonald Hall
Telephone: 559-453-2239
Fax: 559-453-2007
Email: mdeffen@fresno.edu

Mark Deffenbacher has spent his career in the non-profit sector. He has a bachelor of arts from Warner Pacific College, a master of arts from Anderson University School of Theology and C.F.R.E. certification. He has served Fresno Pacific University since 1993 as planned giving officer and foundation executive director and continues to consult and present seminars for other non-profit organizations throughout the nation.

Alan Ours

Vice President, Chief Information Officer
Office: Kriegbaum Hall
Telephone: 559-453-3407
Fax: 559-252-8847
Email: alan.ours@fresno.edu

Before coming to Fresno Pacific in 2005, Alan Ours spent thirteen years working in the information technology department at Taylor University, most recently as director of IT and security. He has a bachelor of arts in math/computer science from The King's College, and a master of science in information and communication sciences from Ball State University.

Board of Trustees