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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University President Edward J. Ray has named veteran OSU administrator Ron Adams as interim provost and executive vice president, effective July 1.

He succeeds Sabah Randhawa, who is leaving OSU this summer to become president of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, in August.

Adams, who now serves as OSU's interim vice president of administration, previously served as a tenured professor, dean of the College of Engineering, executive associate vice president for research, and interim vice president for research at Oregon State.

"Ron's record of leadership success at Oregon State will enable him to serve the university well in this interim role," Ray said. "We are fortunate to have someone with his experience, skills and knowledge to step in and provide a seamless transition."

As interim provost and executive vice president, Ray said Adams will provide leadership to continue implementation of the university's strategic plan and recently announced student success initiative; support growth of OSU's grant/contract-funded research and impact; foster faculty and graduate student success; and support OSU's diversity, enrollment management, and outreach and engagement strategies.

"I am pleased to take on this new leadership role," Adams said. "I am confident we will continue Oregon State's momentum as a leading, internationally recognized public research university."

Adams earned his bachelor's and doctoral degrees from OSU and his master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before joining the OSU faculty, he served in the U.S. Air Force and worked at MIT Lincoln Labs. Adams took a leave from OSU to lead a team at Tektronix working on developing and commercializing color printing technologies. Adams worked at Tektronix for more than 14 years, including serving as vice president of technology and as a senior Tektronix fellow.

Adams will serve in this new role while the university conducts a national search for a new provost and executive vice president during the coming year.

Ray also has asked Mike Green, interim vice president for finance, to serve as OSU's interim vice president for finance and administration during this period. Green previously served as the university's associate vice president for finance and administration, and before that as associate vice chancellor for finance and administration for the Oregon University System. Green will serve in this new role while the university completes a national search for a new vice president for finance and administration.