While I am sad for IUP to announce that Bill Speidel, our vice president for University Advancement, is retiring at the end of August, I am very happy for him.
Bill has considered retirement for the last year, but at each opportune time, something arose—a relationship to cultivate or an administrative departure that made him rethink his plans. He has concluded that this August is the right time personally and professionally. He looks forward to spending more time with his family.
Bill will continue to support IUP and our comprehensive campaign by assisting me in our work with our volunteer campaign leadership and a few other key supporters until a full transition can be made.
Certainly, retirement is a milestone for any retiree, but it also presents an opportunity for the organization as a whole to explore what we might do differently. As we continue to shape our university and adapt to changing conditions, and in light of Evan Bohnen's departure, Bill will soon implement a number of changes to better align resources for the work ahead. We will use the time it takes to conduct a national search for Bill's replacement to further refine the organization.
Under the leadership of a to-be-named interim vice president, here's how things will look for the next several months.
Annual Giving, led by Emily Smeltz, will report directly to the interim vice president, as will the six development officers: Anthony Cancro, Amy Harger, David Maudie, Chrystie Raymond, Mark Spitzer, and Wally Stapleton. Donor relations manager Jennifer Dunsmore will join the Advancement Communications group under Regan Houser, and development research managers Danyelle Hoover and Michelle Chase will join the Advancement Services group under Heather Andring. With the associate vice president position open, I am asking all the division's members to be proactive and to be leaders, ensuring we don't lose the momentum the division has built over the last five years.
Thanks to Bill's leadership since 2011, I can confidently say that we are proceeding from a position of strength, with a team approach across all the disciplines of advancement and an excellent partnership with the Foundation for IUP and the IUP Alumni Association.
It has been a pleasure to have Bill on my executive team.
I will keep you posted as other decisions and plans are made.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Driscoll
President