LSU System Announces Hiring of System Chief Procurement Officer

BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU President Wade Rousse announces the appointment of Michele Montero as his new System Chief Procurement Officer directing her to establish clear, efficient and accountable purchasing practices across the LSU System to improve efficiencies and economies of scale. Montero is a recognized leader in higher education procurement and property management with more than 20 years of experience in the field. She played a pivotal role in modernizing Louisiana’s Higher Education Procurement Code and is known for her operational excellence and elevated service.

“Michele brings to the system a spirit of collaboration as well as support for streamlined purchasing of goods and services across all institutions,” said President Rousse. “Throughout her career she has strengthened supplier and university engagement by organizing multiple large-scale procurement summits and supplier conferences that have expanded opportunities for everyone involved. She understands the kind of team we’re building and is anxious to join us.”

In her current role as LSU A&M’s designated Chief Procurement Officer, Michele oversees approximately $375 million in annual procurement activity and manages the stewardship of roughly 85,000 taggable assets valued at $604 million. Under her direction, the Office of Property Management has achieved a reduction in unlocated assets to below 0.45 percent annually, demonstrating a strong commitment to transparency, accountability, and asset visibility.

Additionally, Montero led the sourcing and negotiation of some of LSU’s most significant and complex contracts, including multi-campus food service, transit service, athletics concessions, the LSU First Health Plan and multi-license software agreements.

“Through strategic bidding practices and disciplined negotiation, we’ve been able to deliver measurable financial impacts that strengthened LSU’s long-term financial security,” said Montero. “I look forward to injecting these strategies throughout the system to accelerate our success.”

Montero begins her new role on Monday, March 2, 2026.