UIT leader Syndi Haywood retires after 41 years of service

After 41 years of unwavering dedication to the University of Utah and University of Utah Health, longtime UIT leader Syndi Haywood retired on April 16, 2026, closing a remarkable period of technological advancement for the organization and opening an exciting new chapter of her own.

As Kim Tanner, director for UIT Platform Services, noted during Haywood’s retirement reception on April 15 at 102 Tower, “Everyone here who’s ever had a dial tone, network connectivity, or reliable critical services — that’s because of Syndi and her amazing team.”

Haywood, associate director for UIT Voice Services and Business Administration in UIT’s Chief Technology Officer organization, began her career at the university in telecommunications as a trainer and billing accountant. She later advanced through several roles, including customer service manager and project manager, before becoming associate director.

She was the first person of color to hold a leadership role in UIT— a milestone reflecting her expertise and the trust she earned through years of steady leadership. Described by colleagues as “calm,” “consistent,” “kind,” and “collaborative,” Haywood received the 2022 James McCune Smith Award of Veneration from the university’s Black Cultural Center (now the Center for Community and Cultural Engagement) and the Black Faculty and Staff Association.

Julia Harrison, voice systems administrator, said she “couldn’t ask for a better friend or manager.”

Throughout her career, Haywood provided sustained oversight of enterprise voice and communications systems that serve thousands of faculty, staff, clinicians, patients, and students. Her work ensured secure, reliable communications infrastructure — often behind the scenes, but always essential.

“Take a look around,” said Jim Livington, chief technology officer, addressing the standing-room-only crowd of about 80 colleagues and guests, a send-off several attendees described as one of the largest retirement gatherings they had attended. “The impact that one person has had on so many people — it’s humbling.”

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One of Haywood’s most significant contributions came during construction of U of U Health’s Acute Care Complex, when her team built voice and communications services across an expansive network backbone connecting hundreds of fiber-optic and copper cables throughout hospitals, clinics, and upper-campus buildings.

Haywood reduced the university’s infrastructure footprint by relocating legacy cabling, overseeing the cutover of life-safety phone lines, and deploying a new telephone system — all on an aggressive timeline with minimal disruption. She also led the complex’s integration into the university’s enterprise voice environment, establishing a stable communications foundation that continues to support patient care.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t say you’re taking a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge with you, you’ll be hard to replace, and whoever follows you will have big shoes to fill.,” Livingston said.

Haywood recalled late nights, high-stakes cutovers, and complex projects few believed could be completed on schedule.

“These last few weeks, as I’ve talked with many of you and shared stories, I’ve been reminded of just how much we’ve accomplished together — the big wins that made us proud, the small victories that kept us moving forward, and yes, even the projects nobody believed we could pull off,” she said. “What’s our motto — who can tell me?”

“We won’t be the hold up!” Samantha Lankford, field service coordinator, answered.

“Yes, exactly — we won’t be the hold up,” Haywood said. “Somehow we always found a way to turn struggles into achievements, missteps into lessons and eventually into funny stories we still tell.”

Beyond large-scale infrastructure projects, Haywood delivered voicemail services to more than 8,000 users, modernized conference room technology, strengthened regulatory and IT security compliance for voice systems, and contributed to strategic planning for future contact center platforms.

Colleagues said her technical expertise was matched by her presence.

“She always had a smile,” Livingston said. “We could be in a meeting about the worst thing imaginable, and Syndi would be smiling. The talent, the cheer, the professionalism — that’s what Syndi brought to work every day.”

Haywood framed her retirement not as an ending but a beginning.

“I’m not retiring from something — I’m retiring to something,” she said.

She spoke about creating a new role for herself at a slower pace, one she will shape and explore, and stepping into a long-held dream shared with her spouse: lake life in Texas with “coffee at sunrise and fire pits and stories shared under the stars.”

Looking back, Haywood emphasized that while she will not miss the deadlines or projects, she will miss the people.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with so many talented, dedicated, genuinely good human beings,” she said. “I’ve learned something from each of you in every chapter.”

Quoting an observation often attributed to artist Carl Joseph Shinkaruk, Haywood said the best part of reaching retirement age is being “old enough to know better, young enough not to care, and experienced enough to do it right.”

She closed with a sentiment that resonated deeply with the room.

“Be the woman who knows the grass is greener wherever she stands, because she brings value to every space she enters,” Haywood said. “That’s the energy I want to carry with me — knowing my value isn’t about the place, the job, or the title. It’s about who I am and what I bring, and it’s something I learned here.”

 

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