Throughout his career in higher education, David Garafola has driven institutional growth through strategic planning and leadership focused on innovation and best practices. He brought LEAN business principles to several universities, where the changes strengthened their overall financial standing. At an early age, Mr. Garafola provided financial leadership as Vice President of Finance and Administration to a faith based college to create a financial turnaround of the institution.  From that accomplishment, David Garafola moved to St. Louis to become the Vice President of Finace and Administration and Treasurer at Webster University.  Webster University was transformed from an regional university to an highly recognized international university with over 110 locations in 23 States across the United States and 8 campuses internationally in both Europe and Asia.  During that time, Mr. Garafola secured over $600 million in structured financing and coordinated a partnership that allowed for direct student loan origination, which generated more than $5 million in new institutional revenue each year.

David Garafola most recently provided the leadership as the vice president for business affairs & CFO Parker University in  Dallas, Texas. There, he increased revenues to $50 million from $32 million and drove operating contribution margins of 125 percent above original goals. This allowed the institution to increase reaffirm in accreditation with the Southern Association with Colleges and Schools (SACS) and expands academic programs and enrollments.   He also was able to negotiate an updated Facilities Master Plan with the City of Dallas which renamed a city street after the institution’s founder “James Parker Way”  and was able to purchase a street abandonment from the city which consolidated the campus footprint. 

David Garafola has announced his departure from Parker University in Dallas, Texas as their Vice President for Business Affairs and Chief Financial Officer.  Mr. Garafola spent seven years with Parker University leading the financial turnaround of the institution from a large deficit  in  operations to healthy surpluses.  He also assisted with the reaffirmation of their accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).  Mr. Garafola was responsible for the development of the Campus-wide Facilities Master plan leading to the renaming, abandonment and purchase of a public street from the City of Dallas, and multiple facility renovations across the campus. Under the financial and business leadership of Mr. Garafola, the College was transformed into a health sciences university as he managed virtually all aspects of strategy and operation, including finance, resource planning and budget, information technology development, safety and risk management,marketing, and business services. Prior to his arrival at Parker, he was also instrumental in the transformation of a regional university’s growth into an international presence growing Webster University into 110 locations in 23 states across the United States as well at 8 international campus locations across Europe and Asia.