Choi named Associate Dean for Administration and Finance at UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GRAND FORKS, N.D.—Academic medicine veteran Namil Choi, MBA, CPA, has been named Associate Dean for Administration and Finance and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS).

Originally from South Korea, Choi is joining the SMHS from the prestigious University of Chicago’s Biological Sciences Division (BSD), where he has served as Executive Director of Planning and Financial Analysis since 2017.

The COO is a key member of the SMHS senior management team and acts as a strategic partner and advisor to the Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the School, Dr. Joshua Wynne. The COO is effectively “second-in-command” to the Dean for all non-academic SMHS functions, and is responsible for the efficiency of its multi-dimensional business operations that involve four regional campuses across the state of North Dakota.

The COO also provides the leadership, management, and vision necessary to advance the SMHS’s status and reputation and ensures that the School has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and systems in place to effectively grow the organization and to ensure financial strength and operating efficiency.

“I am thrilled that we have been able to recruit Namil to UND,” commented Dr. Wynne. “He is highly experienced in academic medicine, hailing from two of the premier academic health centers in the nation. I am confident that Namil will be of great assistance as we work to optimize our educational, discovery, and service operations in support of the people of North Dakota.”

While at the University of Chicago, Choi proposed and implemented various COVID-19 financial measures in fiscal years (FY) 2020 and 2021, saving the school nearly $37 million. He also managed CARES Act funding opportunities for BSD, securing $6M Provider Relief Fund revenue; streamlined various workflows and improved efficiency; led school-wide projects including faculty compensation design and new program development; and authored multiple financial policies within BSD, including policy statements, applications, forms, and templates.

Choi received his Master of Business Administration degree in Finance, Accounting, & Strategy from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., in 2005. He has since completed both the University of Chicago’s Advanced Leadership Program and the Association of American Medical College’s (AAMC/AAIM) Executive Leadership Program.

After relocating to Grand Forks, Choi will begin his new role on Feb. 1, 2022.

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Brian James Schill
Director, Office of Alumni & Community Relations
School of Medicine & Health Sciences
University of North Dakota
701.777.6048 direct | 701.777.4305 office
brian.schill@UND.edu  |  med.und.edu