Values and Action
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“Success is a science; if you have the conditions, you get the result." We have reached a transition phase in our work to build a world-class advancement organization at the University of Rochester. We have created significant change during our assessment and reorganization phase, which began in September 2005. The close of the fiscal year provides an opportunity to reflect on our recent accomplishments and prepare for the work ahead. We have much to be proud of, including:
Advancement is a team effort, and I offer my deepest appreciation to all of you who were involved for your hard work and commitment to advancing this great University. The work ahead is vital to our success. We are in the Strategic Planning/Build Up phase of our business plan. Two key deliverables in this phase include building a team of specialists (Matrix Management) and integrating key volunteers into the University's strategic and visionary planning process. Our task is to build our team brick by brick, donor by donor. This summer, every area within the division will develop an operational plan in accordance with the business plan. We will continue to fine-tune the structure of the organization, optimize operations, and rapidly deploy a national “sales” force and marketing support units. We will begin to create a more integrated volunteer structure through the National Councils and involve a greater number of volunteer leaders in strategic planning than ever before. The task for all of us in advancement is to seize this time of transition and find in it opportunities to achieve a new set of goals and objectives. Each of us can contribute to future success by taking a role in shaping our areas of specialization, applying best practices, fostering effective communications, and contributing to an advancement culture across the University. These steps are necessary if we are to establish a real, donor-centered culture that encourages transformational giving (rather than transactional giving). It is wonderful and exciting to see the community of people who care about the University of Rochester beginning to work together to advance the institution. We are grateful to all of the people within the University family who have helped us this past year and look forward to celebrating more achievements in the years ahead. Meliora, James D. Thompson |
In this Issue
UR Expanding Horizons
Goergen Hall Dedication
On Thursday, May 17, the University of Rochester hosted events to celebrate the dedication of the new Robert B. Goergen Hall for Biomedical Engineering and Optics. The first new academic building to be constructed for the College in 20 years, Goergen Hall has extensive research facilities, graduate and undergraduate teaching labs, high-tech demonstration rooms, and a 155-seat lecture hall.
“Welcome to the 21st century. We begin with a merger of two of our greatest programs in one facility.”
— President Joel Seligman
Numerous donors who contributed to the project were honored and recognized. Their generous gifts resulted in the completion of a state-of-the-art, 101,000 sq. ft. facility at a cost of nearly $38 million. The new building is named in honor of Robert Goergen ’60, chair of the University’s board of trustees from 1991 to 2003 and current chair of the University's Strategic Planning Advisory Committee.
Other great supporters of the project include Charles R. ’69 (Ph.D.) and Judith Munnerlyn and Thomas R. ’65, ’67 (Mas) and Linda Sloan. (For the complete roster of fundraising committee members, leadership gifts, and other generous gifts for Goergen Hall, click here.)
Board Chair Robert Witmer stated a theme that was echoed by other speakers at the dedication, including Dean Peter Lennie and Robert Goergen: “Our new biomedical engineering and optics building is stunning in concept and construction. More important, beyond bricks and mortar, is what this facility represents.” Goergen Hall is designed to encourage interdisciplinary partnerships between faculty and students as well as to translate their discoveries into products and practices that will benefit humanity.
“In thinking about investments that can be made where the whole exceeds the sum of its parts, nothing could be greater than Goergen Hall and the faculty who will occupy it..”
— Peter Lennie, Senior Vice President and Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering
In his remarks Robert Goergen said, “The importance of this day is not reflected in the building itself but in its purpose to facilitate.” He said making a great University is a partnership between individuals that takes place over many generations. “I like to invest where the impact is most meaningful, and this facility houses two of our strongest programs that will contribute to the quality of human life.”
Federal, state, and private foundation (notably The Whitaker Foundation) contributions also aided in the building’s completion. Last October, State Senator Joseph Robach secured $3 million in funding for the project. Goergen Hall will provide an important component for economic development in the Rochester area and serve as a model for industry and higher education collaboration. Housed alongside the scientists will be the new Center for Institute Ventures, which is designed specifically to help bring University discoveries to the marketplace.
For photos of the Goergen Hall celebration, click here.
To see a short video that showcases Goergen Hall, click here.
UR's Los Angeles Road Show
President Joel and Friederike Seligman attended an inaugural reception held in their honor on Tuesday, May 8 at the California Club in Los Angeles. Trustee Jeanine Cushman hosted the event.
Eighty-two guests were treated to a musical performance by soloist Jonathan Michie ’07E. A string quartet comprised of Eastman alumni living in the Los Angeles area played at the reception. President Seligman shared his vision for the University's future and campus news with yet another important West Coast constituency.
To see L.A. event photos, click here.
Nursing Entrepreneurship Receives Boost Through New Endowment
Thanks to the generosity of numerous donors, Patricia A. Chiverton, dean and professor at the School of Nursing and vice president of Strong Health Nursing, was installed as the Pamela York Klainer Endowed Chair in Nursing Entrepreneurship at a ceremony held on Tuesday, May 1.
The endowed chair was established in honor of Dr. Pamela York Klainer, an entrepreneur, financial expert, philanthropist, and author of the nationally recognized book, How Much is Enough? Harness the Power of Your Money Story — and Change Your Life. York Klainer and her late husband, Dr. Jeremy Klainer, shared a passion for entrepreneurship and a deep commitment to maximizing the professional potential of nurses.
The Klainers have supported the School of Nursing in a number of ways, including the establishment of an endowed fund for the Center for Nursing Entrepreneurship and the Dr. Jeremy A. Klainer Entrepreneurial Scholarship Fund. York Klainer has taught classes on entrepreneurship at the school and has served as a longtime advisor.
For the whole story, click here.
To see photos of the event, click here.
Garden Party Address Emphasizes Community Connections
Over 500 guests attended the annual Garden Party, held on June 5 at the Memorial Art Gallery. This year President Seligman’s remarks focused on the relationship between the University and the greater Rochester community. Guests received copies of Connections: The University of Rochester and the Community, an attractively produced and detailed report that describes our school’s local and regional contributions in the areas of education, healthcare, arts and culture, economic development, and citizenship.
For a complete transcript of President Seligman’s Garden Party address, click here.
For Garden Party photos, click here.
Golisano and Hajim Honored at College Commencement
As part of Commencement ceremonies for the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering on Sunday, May 20, Paychex Chair and Founder Thomas Golisano, Nobel Prize-winning Economist Robert Solow, and President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Shirley Ann Jackson received honorary degrees from the University of Rochester.
Trustee Edmund Hajim ’58, chairman and chief executive officer of MLH Capital, LLC, received the Charles Force Hutchison and Marjorie Smith Hutchison Medal, the highest honor given to an alumnus in recognition of outstanding achievements and service to community, state, or nation. John Tarduno, professor of geophysics and chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, was awarded the Edward Peck Curtis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.
For more about honorary degrees and awards, click here.
CEOs View Medici Exhibition
On April 19, over 70 representatives from local corporations and their guests attended the Memorial Art Gallery’s annual CEO dinner. Following an address by President Joel Seligman, guests enjoyed a tour of the exhibition Natura Morta: Still Life Painting and the Medici Collections.
For event photos, click here.
Advancements
A warm welcome to new members of the advancement team and congratulations to those who have moved to new positions:
R. Glen Smiley, FAHP
Associate Vice President for Medical Center Advancement
A renowned leader in healthcare and academic medicine advancement, R. Glen Smiley, FAHP, will lead our Medical Center’s advancement efforts. Previously, he was president of St. John Health Foundation and senior vice president for St. John’s Health, a nine-hospital system in Warren, Michigan. Prior to his appointment at St. John, Glen was corporate vice president for philanthropy at the Henry Ford Health System, where he led and completed a $150 million campaign. Glen brings over two decades of senior development experience in some of the nation’s most progressive academic health environments – Duke University Medical Center, Baylor University Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. While at Duke, he helped drive the University’s Epoch Campaign for $162 million – an experience which he says provided a solid foundation in the fundamentals of fundraising and academic medicine. Glen received his A.B. from Duke University in political science.
To learn more about R. Glen Smiley, click here.
Elisabeth Bischoff-Ormsbee
Senior Director of the Parents Fund
Lis recently completed her tenure at Union College, where she was director of the parents program. Initially appointed at Union as director of annual giving, she created a highly successful office over the last seven years that oversees all aspects of programming for parents of both students and alumni. Her work has given her outstanding experience building relationships between parents and the college through research, events, external communication, face-to-face interaction, and collaboration with colleagues on campus. Prior to Union, Lis held advancement-related positions at Emma Willard School, including service as associate director of development and director of alumnae relations. She began her fundraising career with the American Cancer Society. Lis received her B.A. in music and theatre from Williams College.
Eric N. Loomis
Senior Director, Financial Analysis and Performance Measurement
An accomplished professional with over ten years of experience in finance and business leadership roles with several multi-national corporations, Eric joined the team in early March. He is working with the advancement leadership team to develop performance measurement processes and tools.
Before coming to the University of Rochester, Eric worked for British Petroleum as a member of the Global Petrochemicals Chief Financial Officers Team. Among his many achievements with BP, Eric built and launched a global derivatives trading model that measured regional price risk in Asia, North America, and Europe. Prior to BP, he worked as a controller for Xerox Corporation, supporting multiple West Coast sales operations. Eric earned his B.A. in international business and economics from SUNY Brockport and his M.B.A. in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Thomas A. Taylor
Regional Director of Major Gifts
Tom Taylor joins the advancement team from St. John Fisher College, where he had served as senior director of development since 2003. In that role, he was responsible for oversight of development, alumni relations, donor relations, advancement communications, and advancement services, and personally managed a portfolio of 100 major gift prospects. Some of his accomplishments at St. John Fisher College include the development of policies and procedures to guide the advancement effort and the completion of a strategic planning process for advancement. Prior to Fisher, Tom was senior director of university development at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, after serving as assistant dean/director of development for the School of Pharmacy. At Buffalo, his responsibilities included identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift donors, management of development staff, and oversight of a volunteer campaign committee. Tom’s development experience also includes positions at St. Jerome Hospital in Batavia, New York, and at the Young Men’s Christian Association in Orchard Park, New York. Tom received his B.S. degree in physical education from Canisius College.
Catherine Valleroy
Regional Director of Major Gifts
Catherine joined the division in early April as our first regional director. Her efforts will be concentrated on the New York Metro area. She brings with her more than 20 years of experience working with non-profit organizations and in development. Previously, she worked at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she was director of development for the College of Applied Science and Technology. She oversaw a successful fundraising effort that generated more than $4.5 million in gifts over three years. In addition to RIT, she has worked for United Neighborhood Centers of Greater Rochester, the Leukemia Society of America, the United Way of Greater Rochester, and the National Warplane Museum. Catherine earned her B.A. in political science from the SUNY College at Geneseo.
Gary D. Whidbee
Regional Director of Major Gifts
Gary comes to us from Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina where he served most recently as development officer for schools and prior to that as a community development specialist. Working collaboratively with alumni relations, major and planned giving, and corporate and foundation relations, Gary established a record-setting trend for fundraising. His accomplishments include securing one of the largest cash gifts from an alumnus in the school’s history and contributing significantly to a 100% increase in the alumni participation rate.
Before entering the higher education development field, Gary was a project manager and sales specialist for the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation. He earned his B.S. in business administration/management from Elizabeth City State University and completed coursework for an M.B.A. degree at Hampton University. Additionally, Gary was awarded a Certificate in Fund Raising Management (CFRM) from the Institute of Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Joseph W. Meister
Associate Vice President of Advancement Services
For the last 22 years, Joe has held positions of increasing responsibility and leadership with a focus on technology and business process development at Johns Hopkins University. In his most recent position, he was responsible for the development and maintenance of ALADIN, a fundraising system developed in-house with extensive prospect management and reporting capabilities.
The organization he oversaw provided information-related products and services to over 400 customers in the alumni relations and development offices at Johns Hopkins. As associate director, Joe conducted an extensive review of commercial software packages and then took a leadership role in John Hopkins’ effort to build its own database system. Prior to that, he gained extensive experience as manager of systems and production, systems analyst, and programmer. Joe received his B.A. in political economy from Johns Hopkins.
Rich Jacobson
Senior Director of Reunion Giving
Rich comes to Rochester from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he served most recently as director of class giving and previously as associate director in that specialty. Beginning with his work to improve MIT’s phonathon, he is credited for providing leadership that inspired dramatic increases in dollars as well as donors. He has also been praised for the passion he brings to face-to-face donor interaction and his strategic planning skills. He gained a solid foundation in general development tactics — annual giving, telemarketing, and direct mail — from such luminaries as Georgetown University, St. John’s University, and the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). Rich earned his B.S. in business management/marketing from the SUNY College at Old Westbury.
More Advancement Team Members with New Positions
- Rick Bolden
- Business Analyst
- Dan Camenga
- Associate Director of Corporate Relations
- Rosanna Centanni
- Director of Alumni Education
- Mary Jo Ferr
- Senior Director of Alumni Relations
- Barbara Lacker-Ware
- Associate Director, University Annual Funds
- Jennifer Montana
- Administrative Assistant
Golisano Children's Hospital
- Jennifer Myszka
- Director of Reunion and Class Programs
- Kelly Nuccitelli
- Assistant Director of Development
School of Medicine and Dentistry
- Bonni Rheinwald
- Administrative Assistant
Office of Volunteer Management
- Mary Therese Sick
- Secretary
Warner Graduate School of Education
Milestones
Congratulations to advancement team members who are celebrating milestones in their years of distinguished service to the University of Rochester:
- 20 Years – Administrative Assistant Kimberley Goetz
- 20 Years – Editor/Graphics Coordinator Shirley Wersinger (MAG)
- 20 Years – Visitor Services Coordinator Donna DeFored (MAG)
- 10 Years – Associate Director of Human Resources Kathleen Nagle
Giving Highlights
- The George Eastman Circle currently has more than 170 Charter Members and $7,670,000 in cash and pledges.
- The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) received a gift of $500,000 for the operating endowment from the Gleason Foundation. M&T Bank gave the MAG $25,000 to support the 2007 Clothesline Festival.
- Senior Trustee Ed Colodny ’48 has given $300,000 to create an undergraduate scholarship fund with preference to be given to deserving and qualified students from Vermont.
- The University received over $1.2 million in 2006 from donors who made direct distributions from their IRAs. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 allows for these tax-free distributions through December 31, 2007.
- Thanks to cooperative effort among advancement team members, our estate business continues to grow. Recently, administration of the following two sizable estates has commenced, among others: the William H. Eilinger ’42 estate valued at approximately $4 million will be divided equally between Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong for unrestricted endowment and the College of Arts, Science, and Engineering for an engineering scholarship endowment. The estate of Lyman Carroll Wynne will contribute $2.5 million in endowment funds to support the Wynne Center for Family Research in the psychiatry department.
- The Highland Hospital Capital Campaign has received a $100,000 pledge from Dr. Eva Pressman and Dr. Seth Zeidman for the renovation of the Highland Surgical Pre-testing and Registration area.
- The Davenport-Hatch Foundation has awarded the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center $200,000 in support of the Cancer Center campaign.
- Dr. Robert W. Doty has given $100,000 to establish a neurobiology lectureship in which all University neurosciences divisions will participate. This gift was made in honor of his wife, Elizabeth Doty.
Advancement Updates
- Many of our trustees are taking leadership roles to aid the advancement effort. Two trustees, Larry Bloch ’75 and Tom Sloan ’65, ’67 (Mas), have generously agreed to serve as national co-chairs of the George Eastman Circle. Trustees Nathan Moser ’75, Peter Standish ’64, Janice Willett ’78S (MBA), and Nat Wisch ’55 are regional chairs. Gwen Greene ’65 is national chair of the University Annual Funds. Their role is to serve as ambassadors, soliciting lead charter member prospects (at $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000 annual levels). They will also host prospective members at the New York City Gala, which is scheduled for the spring of 2008. This group convened for the first time in Rochester on May 16, 2007 in conjunction with the board of trustees meeting.
- Recent efforts by the Office of Trusts and Estates (OTE) to enhance awareness of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 include the spring newsletter, which is available on their website: http://rochester.plannedgifts.org. A mailing was sent in March to older alumni classes, emeritus faculty, and members of the various University planned giving societies. The OTE has a limited supply of these materials available for your use.
- Associate Vice President for Medical Center Development Glen Smiley is being supported by Janet Mangano. Their new office location is Suite 210 at East River Road. To contact them, call (585) 276-3809 or fax (585) 461-5351. Stephanie Lisi is now supporting Scott Rasmussen and Tom D’Agostino. They have moved to Suite 208 and can be reached at (585) 276-3568.
OASIS Q&A
FF: Congratulations are certainly in order for the OASIS team. The system is live and has been greeted with great enthusiasm across the division. Are you pleased with the system so far?
OASIS: Absolutely. We are closely monitoring usage and find that staff members are busily entering contact reports. They are also updating prospect records and running daily integrity checks to ensure that information is being entered correctly and that it’s going to the right place.
FF: What’s next?
OASIS: We’ll be adding new reporting functionality that will allow managers to track pre-determined advancement metrics instantaneously in OASIS. Later in the summer, the Staff Support Representatives (SSRs) will receive Advanced Lookups training to provide them with the ability to run detailed reports on a broader range of data found in OASIS (e.g., class year, activities, and affinities).
From now through March 2008, various members of the team, along with selected advancement staff members, will be working on the design stage for Biographic Update, Gift Processing, Membership, Stewardship, and Events. Things are always hopping at OASIS!
Advancement staff members who are interested in participating on one of the design teams are encouraged to contact Martha Osowski on the OASIS team. Also, please forward any system-related questions or concerns to your SSR. They can usually answer your question, or will work with someone who can.
Out & About
July 19: East River Road Seminar Room. Advancement All Staff Meeting. 1:30-3:30 p.m. Following the meeting, division members are invited to attend a picnic celebration on the front lawn.
August 5: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada — A discussion group followed by the Shaw Festival performance of Mack and Mabel. 11:30 a.m. — lunch and discussion; 2:00 p.m. — Mack and Mabel performance. Tickets for the brunch and show are $70. Round-trip transportation from Rochester available. To register, call (585) 273-5888 or (800) 281-2055.
October 18-21: Rochester. Save the Date! — Meliora Weekend features events for the entire University community, including keynote address by General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), kickoff address by Andy Thomas '91S (MBA), President and CEO, Heineken USA, the Presidential Symposium on Great Issues of the 21st Century: Faith and Science, and entertainment by Tony Award-winning Garth Fagan Dance, HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more. Visit the Meliora Weekend website for more details.
November 16: Rochester. Save the Date! — Toast to Your Health Fine Wine Auction. For more information, contact Calista Amering (585) 276-3715, camering@admin.rochester.edu
In the Field
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the leading professional organization in our field, is offering a series of outstanding conferences in 2007-08. If you could benefit from intensive learning in a particular area of expertise, visit them on the web to learn about Summer Institutes as well as conferences offered throughout the academic year. CASE also offers numerous other resources. To visit CASE, click here.
Current Advancement Job Opportunities
For more information about open positions in the University of Rochester's Advancement Division, visit our Advancement Careers website.
UR Links
Keeping you connected to online information about Rochester
- Currents, Faculty/Staff Newsletter
- Campus Times, Student Newspaper
- Eastman Publications, Eastman Notes magazine and more
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics
- Medical Center Press Room
- Memorial Art Gallery
- OASIS Update, Newsletter
- River Campus Libraries
- Rochester Review
- School of Nursing News
- Simon in the News
- The Byte, Dentistry Newsletter
- The College Magazine, Downloadable PDF
- The Privilege of Shaping Tomorrow, Planned Giving Newsletter
- The Warner Word, Newsletter
- UR Style Guide
Givin' Grins
The lighter side of advancement. Humor courtesy of raise-funds.com
Submit to Fast Forward
Contact a newsletter correspondent in your area:
- Diane Crane, Communications Director, OASIS Project
- Chris Garland, Assistant Director of Advancement for the Memorial Art Gallery
- Jeffrey Gillooly, Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President and Liaison to the President's Office
- Kimberley Goetz, Administrative Assistant in University Advancement
- Chuck Pickhardt, Associate Director of Trusts and Estates
- Lucy Prytyskach, Administrator for Medical Center Development
- Polly Reeder, Executive Director of Volunteer Management and Boards
- Bill Sloan, Advancement Communications Writer/Editor, Fast Forward
- Mary Pat Walton, Director of Administration for University Advancement
- Jillian Willoughby, Assistant Director of Development Programs for the College
- Alison Zwecker, Research Associate for University Advancement Services