The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major crisis for public higher education causing drastic changes in enrollment and organizational administration. Effective leadership is crucial during times of crisis and change. The chief business officer is responsible for the financial and operational health of an institution. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine the self-perceived leadership styles and attitudes experienced by chief business officers in public higher education institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States in relation to the organizational changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this study sought to understand how group differences of gender, tenure, and leadership style influenced the attitudes and experiences of chief business officers in public higher education toward organizational change. The methodology for this quantitative, cross-sectional study involved data collection through a researcher-designed survey. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The majority of the chief business officers in this study experienced a high level of organizational change relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was a statistically significant moderate relationship between level of organizational change and feelings of being overwhelmed. The correlation between leadership type, gender, tenure, and attitudes of chief business officers was tested and indicated not to be statistically significant. Future research considerations include exploring additional demographics such as institution type, organizational department, and region. Expanding this study to include qualitative and longitudinal components could also add depth to the findings. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]