Billye Veteto says she likes a job that isn’t routine so she doesn’t get bored.
She is in the right spot. The Razorback Foundation, of which Veteto is CFO, had a new boss, Scott Varady, in December and then plans were announced for an expensive expansion of Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
“It has been lots of fun,” Veteto said. “Not only are we breaking in a new guy, but we’re also in the process of the north end zone project. It continues to be a learning curve, especially in a business such as ours that is so cyclical. It’s not like we’re selling the same widget every day.”
A lot of Veteto’s work is behind the scenes, and she doesn’t get to meet with boosters and make presentations to attract the big-money donations as much as other members of the foundation do. The $160 million end zone expansion has certainly sent a burst of energy through the foundation, and Veteto said she enjoyed the trips to research other universities’ football facilities.
“We’re all pretty much involved in it in one form or fashion,” said Veteto, 39. “To me, it’s exciting. Growth is exciting to me. Just the idea of adding in — it’s not going to be a complete bowl — but adding in that enclosure is exciting. It’s hectic. There are lots of questions.”
It has certainly helped keep Veteto, a lifelong Razorback fan, on her professional toes. The idea of doing nothing but debits and credits turns her off.
“If I wasn’t learning anything, I would be bored,” Veteto said. “I’m not your typical accountant. If things stopped changing, I would be bored. I would be bored if all I did was the accounting function. That is why I’m so blessed exactly where I am.”
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