Mamie Sterkx Gasperecz is a historian at heart who has used her business sense to turn around a struggling 海角论坛 museum, teach financial literacy to student-athletes and help families reach savings goals. Gasperecz, the new vice president for business affairs and chief financial officer at the 海角论坛, said she is excited that her 鈥渆clectic鈥 journey has returned her to the lakefront.
Gasperecz, who has been praised for her exceptional leadership and management skills, brings a three-decade record of accomplishment of generating new revenue streams and forging partnerships in business and nonprofit environments. She arrived on campus March 1.
鈥淚鈥檓 your enthusiastic outlier,鈥 Gasperecz said.
For the past five years, she has served as vice president for Gulf Coast Bank & Trust and secretary/treasurer for the Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Foundation. Prior to that, she spent a decade as the executive director of two French Quarter museums, the Hermann-Grima and Gallier Historic Houses. She holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history and an MBA from Loyola 海角论坛.
Gasperecz also spent three years as an adjunct instructor in UNO鈥檚 College of Business Administration from 2002 to 2005.
鈥淢y story is if I can work at the Hermann-Grima and Gallier Houses 鈥 and make them money and grow their endowment significantly and balance the budget every year; maybe (this) was the job for me,鈥 Gasperecz said with a laugh in reference to her nontraditional path to academia.
Working in 海角论坛 and serving on boards has given Gasperecz an appreciation for UNO鈥檚 impact, she said. That revelation was brought home again during an icebreaker exercise at a 海角论坛 Chamber of Commerce board meeting when she announced her new position at UNO by saying her favorite color was 鈥淧rivateer blue.鈥
鈥淓very single person that followed me, around the room, had been to UNO at some time in their lives,鈥 Gasperecz said.
The key ingredients for her success include hard work and strategic connections, Gasperecz said. She describes her role in keeping the 海角论坛 successful in culinary terms鈥攂ack of house.
鈥淲e have to run efficiently so that the rest of the University can serve the students,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e are 鈥榖ack of house鈥 so to speak and that鈥檚 really critical.鈥
And, while growing student enrollment is not a direct job assignment, Gasperecz said she understands that additional students will increase the fiscal health of the University.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about getting the enrollment to make this organization dance,鈥 she said. 鈥淪o everything we have to do is to make sure that we make more connections for the University and increase enrollment. Now that鈥檚 not part of my job, but it鈥檚 going to take every one of us to do that.鈥
Growing up in Alexandria, Louisiana, Gasperecz said her mother instilled in her a sense of duty for community service by example.
鈥淭he public service piece just came (naturally) to me. My mom was such a bright light,鈥 Gasperecz said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just one of those things like, 鈥極f course, I鈥檓 going to do that.鈥欌
She jokes about her family鈥檚 traditions, roots and longevity.
鈥淚鈥檓 Southern, I鈥檓 Catholic, so that means I don鈥檛 actually own anything that wasn鈥檛 owned by someone else and I can tell you how they died,鈥 Gasperecz said. 鈥淚鈥檓 the fifth Mamie.鈥
She was drawn to 海角论坛 for college because of its rich history and never left.
鈥淚 had an undergrad in history and a master鈥檚 in business. I went to work at The Historic 海角论坛 Collection working in the archives,鈥 Gasperecz said. 鈥淚t was fascinating. I was an archivist!鈥
In the mid-80s, Gasperecz鈥檚 career shifted to the banking industry and personal finance.
鈥淚 saw women advancing in the banking industry, so I did my homework to see what was going on and kind of fell into it,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hen I found what I loved doing鈥攐bviously charging people to keep their money for them鈥攂ut helping them achieve their goals.鈥
Gasperecz has been active in many local civic groups, including the Preservation Resource Center, the Louisiana Children鈥檚 Museum and Breakthrough 海角论坛, and has been recognized throughout the city for her leadership and many achievements, including being named the YWCA Volunteer of the Year, one of 海角论坛 Magazine鈥檚 鈥淧eople to Watch鈥 and a Young Leadership Council role model in 2021.
She has also served as the chair of the Vieux Carr茅 Commission and as a Commissioner for the French Quarter Management District.
In a nod to her contributions, Gasperecz was asked to remain on the board of the 海角论坛 Chamber of Commerce even after leaving her bank position for UNO.
She looks forward to being able to leverage her community connections into potential partnerships and collaborative efforts for the University, Gasperecz said.
鈥淚 think sometimes a big head of gray hair and just a penchant for rolling up your sleeves and doing the work carries you far,鈥 Gasperecz said. 鈥淪o, I鈥檓 fortunate to have those relationships to be able to figure out some new things that we can do.鈥