BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University Vice President for Athletics Strategy Derek van der Merwe has announced the hiring of David Cutri, CPA, CISA, CIA, as the Falcons' new Senior Associate Athletics Director for Financial Strategy. A highly respected financial executive and higher education leader, Cutri brings more than three decades of expertise in risk management, audit, compliance, and financial strategy across the corporate and university landscapes.

Cutri arrives in Bowling Green following a distinguished 16-year tenure at the University of Toledo, where he served as the institution's Chief Audit Executive and Chief Compliance Officer. His comprehensive leadership encompassed both the academic and clinical arms of the university, and he provided strategic oversight for accessibility and disability resources, compliance training, enterprise risk management, and internal controls across the institution. He also served as a key liaison to the university's Board of Trustees and was instrumental in implementing system-wide efficiency measures, leveraging his Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification.

"We are excited to welcome David Cutri to the athletics team at Bowling Green State University," said Vice President for Athletics Strategy Derek van der Merwe. "David comes from a diverse business background that spans both private industry and higher education. As we continue to build our program toward sustained success, we must be more innovative, creative, and efficient in how we partner with our university to support successful and winning sport programs. Those partnerships and that alignment are more important than ever. David's experiences are expansive and extensive, and I am excited to work alongside him and our university to develop innovative business strategies to grow revenues and improve efficiencies."

"I am thrilled to be joining the BGSU team," said Cutri. "I am deeply impressed by the way that everybody works together positively and promptly toward a common goal, which I believe makes BGSU distinctive. This is an opportune time for intercollegiate athletics to be impactful in supporting the missions of their universities. It is clear to me that Derek van der Merwe, his coaches, and the Athletics team and its partners, with the clear support of President Rogers, are committed to taking advantage of these opportunities, and I am humbled that BGSU selected me to lead its financial strategy. Ay Ziggy!"

Cutri's career includes executive-level financial leadership roles at NiSource Inc., BNSF Railway, and National City Corporation, along with a public accounting background at Arthur Young & Company. His broad expertise in enterprise risk, internal auditing, compliance, and financial planning is complemented by significant community engagement, including leadership roles with the City of Toledo, Toledo Public Schools, and several professional associations.

Cutri holds an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor's degree in accounting and management information systems from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He maintains active certifications as a CPA, Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Information Systems Auditor.

Cutri, and his wife, Debra, live in Weston, Ohio. The couple has three grown children, David, Carolyn and James. Cutri and his wife became grandparents in 2024 when their grandson, Vincent, was born.