Susan Hayes of Thorsby is the University of Montevallo’s new comptroller. Her appointment became effective Aug. 17. She brings more than 27 years of financial management experience to her new role at UM.

Hayes attended UM early in her college career and graduated from the University of Alabama —Birmingham with an undergraduate degree in accounting. She recently completed her master’s degree in business administration.

For the past 13 years, she served in various financial systems, accounting management or internal audit capacities for Baptist Health System Inc. in Birmingham. Hayes spent eight years in Charlotte, N.C., as budget and reimbursement supervisor at Carolinas Medical Center and as corporate controller for Hi-Ran Systems Inc. Prior to her tenure in North Carolina, Hayes served the Shelby Medical Center in Alabaster for nearly six years.

She is excited about the opportunity to come back to UM and serve in a role that will provide support for the strategic plan and for future progress of the university. “This is a wonderful community and I feel as though I have been given the opportunity to come home. I have great admiration for the UM curriculum and for the diverse educational and career opportunities which it provides,” she said.