University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue has named M. Scott Bryant as Vice Chancellor for Development and CEO of the USG Foundation, effective June 1, 2024.

In this role, Bryant will lead the system’s philanthropic foundation in raising private funds that help to reduce the cost of attendance for USG students. The foundation’s signature event is the annual Regents’ Scholarship Gala, which over the past 19 years has helped raise more than $15 million to support student scholarships.

Bryant currently serves as associate vice president for development and chief operating officer for the campaign at Kennesaw State University (KSU), a position he’s held since July 2019. In his time at KSU, Bryant has helped lead the development team in raising more than $110 million and increasing KSU’s endowment by 150%. 

“Scott brings over 15 years of experience in fundraising within our university system where he has met aggressive fundraising goals for KSU and at Georgia Tech,” Perdue said. “His innovative and data-driven approach to fundraising will benefit our system at the highest level by increasing scholarship funding across the system and, most importantly, prioritize affordability for our students.”

Prior to joining KSU, Bryant spent 11 years working in development for the Scheller College of Business for the Georgia Institute of Technology. There, Bryant helped the college surpass its fundraising goal of $175 million as part of Georgia Tech’s $1.5 billion fundraising campaign. 

“I am excited for the opportunity to lead the USG Foundation in advancing the strategic plan of responsible stewardship,” Bryant said. “I look forward to collaborating with the foundation team and USG leadership to achieve dramatic results that support our students and our universities.” 

Bryant will join Christina Paloski, assistant vice chancellor for development and chief financial officer, on the foundation’s leadership team. 

Before his work at USG institutions, Bryant served as president, operating partner and chief financial officer of Bell Oak Capital, LLC, a turnkey real estate financing, investment, development, facility management and construction services company. Bryant also served as an associate in the Goldman Sachs Group, where he helped families, individuals and institutions across the Southeast to achieve their financial objectives.

Bryant has an MBA from Duke University and a Bachelor of Science in applied psychology from Georgia Tech. Bryant lives in Roswell with his wife, Jenny.