Executive Leadership

John F. Speer III is president and chief executive officer of Ellucian. Previously Mr. Speer was president and chief executive of Datatel, Inc. since August 2006. He has more than 28 years of experience in the higher education technology community, personally helping hundreds of colleges and universities manage change through the implementation of advanced information management systems. In 2010, Mr. Speer was recognized by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur of the Year for Greater Washington. He has also provided technology strategic planning for reaffirmation visiting committees for the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

As senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Ellucian, Michelle Reed is responsible for marketing operations across a global higher education community. Ms. Reed leads a team dedicated to strategic marketing, branding, market research, and public relations, working closely with product management, and customer and partner relationships to serve our clients’ needs and earn recognition for Ellucian’s offerings worldwide.

As senior vice president and chief services officer, Mike Wallesen is responsible for all Ellucian services and support. Mr. Wallesen’s teams provide services to maximize operational efficiencies, enhance communication and collaboration, and facilitate learning at colleges and universities around the world.

Jonathan Garnett is responsible for driving Ellucian’s international growth and customer satisfaction throughout Europe, Middle East, Africa, India, and Asia Pacific regions.

Jack Kramer is senior vice president, customer perspective, and is responsible for making sure Ellucian’s customers experience the highest levels of satisfaction with the products and services we deliver and for identifying and implementing improvements that will bring additional value to our customers.

Dr. William H. Graves provides guidance for Ellucian’s ongoing initiatives to support and advance clients’ core academic missions. He has long believed postsecondary educational attainment to be a “common good” essential to humanity’s future, yet unsustainable without using IT as a game changer to scale up credential “completions,” while also making them mutually affordable to all beneficiaries. Bill’s numerous publications and presentations accordingly foresee an academic enterprise more open, scalable, and broadly affordable than today’s.

As senior vice president and general counsel for Ellucian, Jim Bennett is responsible for managing the legal affairs of the company and in so doing, works closely with public and private universities around the world.