Still Building: Chris Wetmore ’06 the chair of the Houston UCF Alumni community
From balancing ledgers to rebuilding engines, Chris Wetmore ’06 has spent his career mastering systems, strengthening teams and helping fellow Knights stay connected far from campus.
Building Momentum
On weekends, when time allows, Chris Wetmore, the chair of the Houston UCF Alumni community, can still be found under the hood of a classic Corvette.
Not because he has to.
Because he wants to.
The CFO of Expressworks International, Texas-based company could easily hand the work off to someone else. But for Wetmore, there is satisfaction in understanding how things function, how individual pieces connect and how something well-built can become even better with time and care.
That mindset has shaped nearly every chapter of his life and career.
Whether rebuilding a car engine, streamlining financial systems or helping strengthen alumni connections hundreds of miles from campus, Wetmore has never been interested in simply inheriting systems. He wants to understand them. Improve them. Build them stronger than before.
Since graduating from UCF in 2006 with a degree in accounting from the College of Business, Wetmore has built a career defined by transformation, adaptability and steady growth.
In his current role, Wetmore partners with executive leadership to modernize operations, strengthen financial infrastructure and help guide enterprise-wide strategy. His work spans financial transformation, cash management, operational efficiency and even AI implementation.
But his path to the executive level was not built overnight.
It was built carefully, one opportunity at a time.
Since graduating from UCF in 2006 with a degree in accounting from the College of Business, Wetmore has built a career defined by transformation, adaptability and steady growth.
In his current role, Wetmore partners with executive leadership to modernize operations, strengthen financial infrastructure and help guide enterprise-wide strategy. His work spans financial transformation, cash management, operational efficiency and even AI implementation.
But his path to the executive level was not built overnight.
It was built carefully, one opportunity at a time.
A Career Built Piece by Piece
Wetmore began his career in public accounting in Orlando before moving through increasingly complex leadership roles across industries including energy, engineering, utilities and corporate services. Along the way, he became known for solving operational problems, improving processes and helping organizations scale more effectively.
At KBR, that work took on a new level of complexity. Wetmore led a global accounting team through a period of significant change, helping steady the team, maintain critical deliverables and continue improving processes during the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar challenges followed at other stops throughout his career, from supporting growing international operations at Waste Management to strengthening financial infrastructure at Expressworks International. Across those roles, he became drawn to work that required practical problem-solving, steady leadership and building systems that could scale.
But titles and accomplishments only tell part of the story.
What stands out most about Wetmore is the consistency behind the climb.
Even while advancing into executive leadership, he continued learning, adapting and pushing himself into new areas of expertise. He recently received his MBA while serving as CFO, a reflection of the same growth mindset that has guided him throughout his career.
Staying Connected
That steady upward trajectory feels deeply connected to the spirit of UCF itself.
As UCF’s historic Go for Launch campaign accelerates opportunity, strengthens partnerships and expands the university’s impact nationwide, alumni like Wetmore represent what that momentum looks like in action. His career reflects the entrepreneurial drive and forward-thinking mindset that continue to define Florida’s technological university.
Yet despite building a successful life and career in Texas, Wetmore never viewed distance as a reason to disconnect from UCF.
If anything, it strengthened his commitment to the university community.
For years, he has remained actively involved as an alumnus, supporting UCF financially while helping fellow Knights in Texas stay connected and engaged long after graduation. That investment speaks to something larger than professional success. It reflects loyalty, pride and a belief in the power of community.
Wetmore is also a season ticket holder and travels back to campus for games; he has been an active part of the alumni community since graduation, not just a place where he earned his degree.
“Being able to get involved and to try and help grow the alumni group in Houston is important to me,” Wetmore says. “Having a space where Knights can come and meet other Knights is more than just about networking, it’s about belonging.”
For Wetmore, UCF was never simply a stepping stone.
It remains part of who he is.
