David MacKenzie

After a long and distinguished career in academia, government and the law, David J. MacKenzie has decided to retire from his leadership role in one of the most robust building booms in the history of the University of Massachusetts.

As executive director of the UMass Building Authority for more than seven years, MacKenzie oversaw more than 50 completed and ongoing UMass construction projects worth over one billion dollars. Under MacKenzie’s tutelage, the UMBA has created thousands of jobs and generated millions of dollars in revenue. He held several leadership roles in his 11 years with the university, including Interim Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance. MacKenzie managed construction of a new campus center, implemented an energy conversion project, and chaired campus committees to resolve budget issues.

Prior to UMass, MacKenzie served as General Counsel of the Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority from 1993 to 1999. Up until then, he was the chief policy adviser to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Beacon Hill. MacKenzie also served as Staff Attorney at Western Massachusetts Legal Services and Assistant Administrator of Agency Contracts for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance. He holds a Juris Doctor from Northeastern University Law School, a Master of the Arts degree from Stanford, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree from Wesleyan University, where he was the recipient of the National Merit Scholarship.