Thane Peterson has been appointed vice dean of Finance and Administration for the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He also will serve as associate vice president of Finance and Administration for Wayne State University Health Affairs.

The appointment, announced by Dean Mark E. Schweitzer, is effective May 15.

“With more than 30 years of senior administrative experience in finance, administration, business development and strategic planning, Thane will be instrumental to our efforts to advance the School of Medicine into the 21st century,” Dean Schweitzer said.

Peterson joins the School of Medicine from the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis, where he has served as vice president for Finance and Administration and chief operating officer since 2013. Associated with the Indiana University School of Medicine, the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Eskenazi Health, and IU Health, the Regenstrief Institute is a medical research and development organization focused on improving quality of care, increasing efficiency of health care delivery, preventing medical errors and enhancing patient safety.

He also served as senior director of Telligen, a Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, director of the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration for Iowa State University, director of Research for Unity Point Health in Iowa, director of Administration for the Stoddard Cancer Research Institute and director of Research Administration for the Northshore University Health System in Evanston, Ill.

Peterson received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Drake University in Iowa.

He is a member of the National Council of University Research Administrators, the Society of Research Administrators International and the American College of Healthcare Executives. He also was a co-investigator on several studies funded by the National Institutes of Health.