JWU Providence
Meet Our President

A dedicated member of the JWU community for over 40 years, Joseph Greene M.S., CPA has served in key leadership roles across Johnson & Wales University. He first came to JWU as an employee who was working his way through an associate degree from the Community College of Rhode Island. When he learned about Johnson & Wales University’s tuition benefit for staff, Greene soon became a full-time JWU employee, first as a mail clerk, then as an accounts receivable clerk, followed by becoming a loan officer and staff accountant — all while pursuing his studies.

Greene earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at JWU’s Providence Campus and then worked for a local accounting firm, where he passed the CPA exam. In 1993, he returned to JWU as an accounting manager and earned a master’s degree in accounting.

Over the years, Greene was promoted to vice president of accounting services, served as the university controller, chaired the payroll committee, managed JWU’s banking relationships and began overseeing facilities management and finance. He continued to grow professionally, expanding to oversee JWU’s operations and facilities in addition to finance. In 2019, he was appointed vice chancellor of finance & administration, leading several areas of the university operations, including finance, enrollment management, online administration, information technology, campus facilities and auxiliary services.

In 2022, he was elected as commissioner for the New England Commission of Higher Education for a three-year term, a distinct honor for the university, and he recently began his second three-year term on the Commission. He has served on several prominent local boards, including The Providence Foundation and the Downtown Improvement District.