Sharing Leadership News

February 16, 2026

Dear members of the SLU community,

After more than 16 years at the University, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David Heimburger will retire from SLU on September 30, 2026.

David is a Billiken alumnus who joined SLU as the director of budget in 2009. Since becoming CFO in 2011, David’s calm and steady leadership has strengthened SLU’s fiscal foundation even as higher education institutions have faced increasingly complex challenges. During David’s tenure, SLU’s endowment more than doubled, and the University sustained its high credit ratings.

David supported the University’s reacquisition of SLU Hospital and its subsequent transfer to SSM Health, and the integration of the SLUCare physician practice with SSM. With his team, he also spearheaded the implementation of Workday, launched the Midtown St. Louis Redevelopment Corporation, and facilitated the construction of two new residence halls, the Jesuit Center, the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center, and the Sinquefield Science and Engineering Center.

Beyond these significant accomplishments, David’s work has been defined by his love of SLU, his care for his colleagues, and his openness to dialogue with trustees, faculty, staff, and students alike. I want to personally thank David for his thought partnership and guidance as I have learned about the University’s finance, business, and administrative functions in this critical year of change. I’m also grateful that David will support the transition as we on-board a new chief financial officer.

We will immediately take steps to begin a national search for SLU’s next chief financial officer, and we’ll update the community when we launch the search later this spring.

Please join me in thanking David for his many contributions to SLU. He will forever be a Billiken.

Sincerely,

Edward Feser, Ph.D.
President