Dirk Pruis stands as a distinguished figure in finance and academia, currently serving as the Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Calvin University. His extensive career spans leadership roles in major financial institutions, entrepreneurial ventures in market infrastructure, and a commitment to educating future business leaders. Pruis’s multifaceted experience provides a unique blend of practical expertise and academic insight.
Prior to his current executive position at Calvin University, Pruis dedicated nine years to shaping minds as a faculty member within the Calvin School of Business. During this period, he held the position of Director of the Financial Planning program and acted as the faculty advisor for Calvin Nexus Peer Financial Coaching, demonstrating his commitment to student mentorship and financial literacy. His tenure as faculty was marked by teaching a broad spectrum of ten different courses, encompassing financial accounting, corporate finance, and various capstone experiences, illustrating his deep knowledge across financial disciplines.
Pruis’s influence extends beyond academia into the corporate world through his active participation on several boards. He contributes his financial acumen to the boards of BNY Mellon Government Securities Services Corp., a critical entity in the settlement and clearing of US government securities, where he also chairs the Audit and Risk Committee, showcasing his expertise in risk management and corporate governance. Furthermore, Pruis serves on the board of Meritage Hospitality Group, Inc., a publicly traded restaurant company based in Grand Rapids, where he again chairs the Audit Committee, highlighting his capabilities in overseeing financial compliance and reporting for publicly listed companies. His board service also includes Creative Dining Services, a Michigan-based institutional food services provider, further diversifying his governance experience across different industries.
Before transitioning to academia in 2014, Pruis spent fifteen years at Goldman Sachs, culminating in his role as Managing Director and Chief of Staff for the Operations Division. His career at Goldman Sachs was largely focused on market infrastructure strategy, where he played a pivotal role in the planning and development of new exchanges, clearing organizations, and securities industry technology and market data companies. This strategic focus led to executive leadership roles as Chief Executive/President of two industry-owned bank consortiums: EquiLend, in the securities lending business, and ICE Clear Credit (formerly ICE Trust), the US clearinghouse for credit default swaps, under IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. His global perspective was broadened through senior leadership positions for Goldman Sachs in both Japan and Mexico, demonstrating his adaptability and international business acumen. Pruis’s expertise was further sought after in consulting roles for Goldman Sachs and as an advisor to the board of Clarient Global LLC, a client reference data consortium owned by major Wall Street banks and The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation.
Professor Pruis began his professional journey in public accounting, earning his CPA while working for Deloitte & Touche in both Grand Rapids and New York. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan School of Business and a BA in business with an accounting concentration from Calvin College, providing a strong academic foundation for his successful career. Dirk Pruis is a licensed CPA in the state of Michigan, underscoring his professional credentials and commitment to the highest standards of financial practice.
Courses Taught
- ACCT 204 – Financial Accounting
- ACCT 205 – Financial Reporting and Analysis
- ACCT 301 – Intermediate Accounting I
- ACCT 302 – Intermediate Accounting II
- BUS 394 – Business Capstone
- FIN 301 – Corporate Finance
- FIN 302 – Financial Instruments and Markets
- FIN 310 – Advanced Topics in Corporate Finance
- FIN W40 – Personal Finance
Professional Licenses
- CPA, MI and formerly NY
- Formerly held Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Series 7, 24, 27
- Formerly held Financial Services Authority (United Kingdom) Controlled Functions CF-1, CF-3 and CF-8
- Formerly licensed financial principal with Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) in Mexico
