Krissi Fenner was recently named the vice president for finance and administration for Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College.
Fenner comes to BSU and NTC from Bemidji Area Schools, where she served a number of different roles over ten years including director of business services, developing and monitoring an annual budget of nearly $80 million.
“I am excited to welcome Krisi Fenner into our campus communities and to work for her as the next vice president for finance and administration for BSU and NTC,” Dr. John L. Hoffman, president of Bemidji State and NTC, said.
“She is a mission-driven professional, and it was clear throughout our search process that she felt compelled to become a part of our community. With more than a decade of exceptional experience with Bemidji Area Schools, her skills will help BSU and NTC both to grow and thrive.”
Before joining the district, Fenner worked as lead auditor for Bemidji-based Miller McDonald, Inc. She also provides professional accounting and finance services for the Bemidji Area Service Collaborative, which seeks to improve access and availability for a variety of family resources and services in Beltrami County
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“I am honored to have been chosen for this important role,” Fenner said. “As a lifelong resident, I am committed to the Bemidji area and to seeing education in our community thrive.”
Fenner is returning to her alma mater, as she graduated from Bemidji State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting with a certified public accountant emphasis.
“As a Bemidji State graduate, this feels like something of a homecoming for me,” she said. “I am honored to be part of a team that will ensure future generations of BSU and NTC students receive the same educational opportunities that I did.”
Hoffman added that Fenner’s connection to the mission of higher education helped set her apart during the search process.
“As a first-generation college student herself who received a high-quality education from BSU, Krisi has a deep commitment to our mission and the ways that higher education transforms lives — just as it changed her life,” he said.
Fenner’s appointment is effective March 13.
She will succeed Karen Snorek, who is retiring after serving since 2015 and a career of more than 30 years in the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities.
