Barry Swanson currently serves as Chief Procurement Officer at the University of Kentucky and is responsible for leading UK Procurement Services. Procurement Services is comprised of a Central Unit, Healthcare Unit, Construction Unit, Surplus Property, Supplier Diversity, and the UK Supply Center.
Barry is involved in numerous collaborative activities at UK and the greater community. UK activities include the UK Economic Development Collaborative Core Committee as well as the UK Equitable Economic Development subcommittee and the Partnership subcommittee.
Barry’s activities in the greater community include supporting the Kentucky Region of the National Association of Educational Procurement and being an active participant in the collaboration of Lexington Community Partners which includes members from UK, Black Faith Leaders, Lexington/Fayette Urban County Government, and the Fayette County School District.
Prior to coming to UK, Barry served as the Associate Vice Provost for Campus Operations/Chief Procurement Officer for the University of Kansas, where he was responsible for leading seven departments – Design and Construction Management, Facilities Services, Parking and Transit, Environmental Health and Safety, the KU Center for Sustainability, Procurement Services, and the Campus Operations Business Center.
Barry joined KU in 1998 as Director of Purchasing and during his nearly 19-year tenure at KU also served as the Associate Comptroller with responsibility for the Payroll, Bursar, Central Accounting, Financial Management and Financial Systems areas at KU. Barry has worked in the private sector as Director of Purchasing for Seaboard Farms, in government as a Procurement Officer for the State of Kansas Division of Purchases, and he began his career serving as a staff member in several political offices.
In addition to the collaborative activities listed above, Barry has also served as chair of the Purchasing Committee for the Midwestern Higher Education Compact and as the Kansas Board of Regents representative on the State Use Committee, which provides oversight to the Blind and Handicapped Workshop Program in Kansas. He has also served as the District V Representative on the NAEP National Board of Directors, and as co-President of the NAEP Great Plains Region. Barry also served on the Board of Directors for E and I Cooperative Services, Inc. from 2013-2023 and as chair from 2018-2022.
Barry is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a degree in History and Political Science. He also has a Juris Doctor degree from the Washburn University School of Law.