The Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees today unanimously voted to elect Piero Bussani board chair. The trustees also unanimously approved President Stacy Volnick’s renewed contract until Dec. 31, or until the time a permanent president is named.

The Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees today unanimously voted to elect Piero Bussani board chair. Bussani, of Boca Raton, has served on the board since 2021, when he was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. He also serves as chair of the governance committee.

“I’m grateful for the faith shown in me by my fellow trustees,” Bussani said. “I’m looking forward to working with the Florida State University System Board of Governors, Florida Atlantic President Stacy Volnick, and her administration to keep moving the university forward.” 

Bussani is the chief legal officer at Homebound, a single-family home construction company that leverages technology to enhance the homebuilding experience, where he oversees the legal, risk and insurance functions. Prior to this, Bussani spent 18 years as the chief legal officer for Blackstone-owned real estate portfolio companies in nearly every asset class, including housing and hospitality. He started his career at the law firm Arent Fox, where he represented home builders. Bussani also serves on the boards of CubeSmart and Cleveland Clinic of Weston.

Bussani replaces Brad Levine, who stepped down as chair today. Levine served in this role since May 2022.

Bussani earned a juris doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from American University.

In other business, the trustees unanimously approved President Stacy Volnick’s renewed contract until Dec. 31, or until the time a permanent president is named. Volnick has served as interim president since Jan. 1, 2023. The contract is now subject to approval by the Florida Board of Governors.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to lead Florida Atlantic,” said Volnick. “I want to thank the members of the Board of Trustees for their ongoing support and thank the many members of the University community for their endorsements. Florida Atlantic is on an upward trajectory and I look forward to celebrating many more achievements with our incredible students, faculty and staff.”

Under her leadership, FAU moved up 19 spots in the U.S. News & World Report list of “Top Public Schools” – the largest jump by any institution in the State University System. FAU also rose to No. 26 in the nation for “Social Mobility.”

The FAU men’s basketball team also made a historic run to the Final Four, in which she supported the generation of $1.7 billion in earned media in March 2023.

Volnick became a member of the university's administrative staff in 1991, advancing steadily through the ranks. In 2013, she became vice president for administrative affairs and chief administrative officer, and more recently, she was promoted to chief operating officer. She is a three-time FAU alumna, earning a doctorate and master’s degree in higher education leadership, as well as a bachelor’s degree in communication.

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