Former IBM executive Timothy M. Wolfe, 53, is the new president of the University of Missouri System.

The announcement was made Tuesday in Columbia. Mr. Wolfe, a graduate of MU’s business school, has not worked in higher education, but said Tuesday during a news conference that it’s part of his biology in that his parents are both professors, one in communications and the other in law.

Mr. Wolfe, after a 20-year run with IBM as an executive, was most recently president of the Americas for Novell, a software company.

UM Board of Curators Chair Warren Erdman said the presidential search committee took public input from all over the state over the past year. Those with an interest in the system wanted a president with academic, business and political acumen; who can empower leaders; who understands and respects the uniqueness of each of the system’s four campuses; and who appreciates the state of Missouri, its Midwestern culture and its socioeconomic environment.

“These are qualities we will find in our next president,” Mr. Erdman said.

Mr. Wolfe said that a 10-year slide in funding for higher education must be met with continued creativity to provide quality education at a low cost. He said he wants to see an increase in the amount of research within the system while working with business and political leaders to create more jobs for graduates. He said they need to identify emerging opportunities for critical new revenue streams.

“We need to chart our own course,” Mr. Wolfe said, “not have someone else do it for us.”

Mr. Wolfe, who is married and has 16-year old twins, will begin his new job Feb. 15. UM general counsel Steve Owens has held the position as interim president since January, when former president Gary Forsee resigned.