Turner

After a nationwide search, Aimee Turner has been named associate vice president and university controller, announced Joanne DeStefano, Cornell vice president for finance and chief financial officer, Sept. 24. Turner, who is chief financial officer and treasurer of the J. Craig Venter Institute, will begin her Cornell post Oct. 17.

"I am very pleased that Aimee was chosen for this position and confident that we have hired a creative and energetic leader," DeStefano said in her statement, noting that Turner has spent more than 20 years in the nonprofit research sector.

Turner will succeed Anne Shapiro, who will retire in December after serving the university for nearly 20 years. "Anne leaves a legacy as a leader with selfless dedication to Cornell," DeStefano said. "She is noted nationally for her tax expertise, financial wisdom, energy and vibrant personality."

Bringing Turner on board in October will allow for overlap in the position, "providing leadership for the financial accounting operations of the university," said DeStefano. In her first year, Turner will focus on continued improvements to the Kuali Financial System user experience, and she will work to effect more efficient processes and policies while maintaining the integrity of internal controls.

Turner earned her B.S. degree in accounting with a minor in psychology in 1988 from Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Md. A Certified Public Accountant, Turner is a member of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accounts, National Grants Management Association, Association of Independent Research Institutes and National Council of University Research Administrators.