Chief Executive Officer, VMI Alumni Agencies
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Alumni Agencies Board of Directors, located in Lexington, VA, invites nominations and applications from individuals who wish to be considered for the Alumni Agencies' next Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Mission of the VMI Alumni Agencies is to inform, engage, and inspire support for VMI. While the VMI Alumni Agencies collaborate, engage, and support VMI, it is not involved in the Institute's chain of command.
Between 2014–16, the heads of the Alumni Association, the Keydet Club, and the Foundation thoughtfully and intentionally formed a plan for a combined Agencies headed by a single executive to improve support for VMI. The resulting resolution proposed restructuring the Agencies under a single chief executive officer. This consolidated entity, known as the VMI Alumni Agencies (Alumni Agencies), was formed in 2019.
There are four governing boards that cast the vision and set the direction for the Alumni Agencies. The Alumni Agencies creates strength of purpose for efficient and effective operations, stewardship, fundraising, communications, events, advancement services, and engagement in support of the VMI alumni family, the Corps of Cadets, and the future of the Institute. The organization is governed by the VMI Alumni Agencies Board consisting of the president and vice president of the Foundation Board of Trustees, the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and the Keydet Club Board of Governors, as well as a representative from the VMI Board of Visitors.
The primary purpose of the Alumni Association is to organize alumni in one general body to keep alive the memories of Institute life and to efficiently aid in the promotion of the welfare of the Institute and the successful prosecution of its educational purposes in the future. The VMI Foundation is responsible for fundraising and comprehensive giving options, including vital unrestricted funding, directed giving funds and scholarships, cadet life and leadership programs support, and planned giving—all types of financial support with the exception of NCAA Division I athletics. The Keydet Club is responsible for the financial support of NCAA Division I cadet athletes via scholarships, coaches' salaries, academic support, and operating budgets for VMI's 18 individual NCAA teams.
Founded in 1839 and located in Lexington, VA, VMI is the oldest state-supported military college in the United States. Throughout its storied history, VMI has produced leaders and individuals whose daily lives reflect integrity, fairness, and appreciation for the value of hard work that is instilled at the Institute. For the individual who wants an undergraduate experience more complete and transformative than an ordinary college or university can provide, and more versatile in its applications than a military service academy affords, VMI offers a superb education. U.S. News & World Report has ranked VMI among the nation's top undergraduate public liberal arts colleges since 2001. The Institute's efficacy is well demonstrated by generations of VMI graduates. Among the alumni of VMI are a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, 11 Rhodes Scholars, seven Medal of Honor recipients, a Pulitzer Prize winner, college presidents, and general and flag officers.
Reporting to the Alumni Agencies Board of Directors, the CEO serves as the senior executive responsible for the overall strategic direction, leadership, and performance of the VMI Alumni Agencies—comprising the VMI Alumni Association, the VMI Foundation, and the VMI Keydet Club. The CEO's primary charge is to shape and execute a unified advancement strategy that strengthens engagement among VMI's broad and diverse constituencies and secures sustainable philanthropic support. As the chief strategist and senior advancement leader, the CEO provides vision, coordination, and alignment across all development, alumni, and communications functions, ensuring their full integration in support of the Institute's mission and priorities. Working in close partnership with the Alumni Agencies Board and the Chief Operating Officers of the Alumni Association, VMI Foundation, Keydet Club, and Institute stakeholders, the CEO will provide strategic guidance for institutional advancement, encompassing major and planned giving, campaign design and execution, donor stewardship, and alumni relations. The CEO ensures cohesion among the Alumni Agencies and their respective boards to achieve maximum impact on behalf of the Institute. Overall, the CEO will provide leadership for the approximately 45 employees of the Alumni Agencies.
The ideal candidate will bring a record of 15 years of senior-level management experience and strategic leadership, significant advancement success, and organizational vision within higher education or a comparable mission-driven organization. Desired attributes and experience include, but are not necessarily limited to: deep appreciation for the mission, traditions, and aspirations of VMI; experience reporting to, or working closely with, a governing board, preferably in a nonprofit environment; exceptional strategic, analytical, and creative skills; good knowledge of all aspects of advancement, including development, alumni relations, communications, donor stewardship, and volunteer engagement. There is also a strong preference for demonstrated success in planning and leading large-scale, transformational fundraising campaigns. A bachelor's degree is required, advanced degree preferred. Compensation will be commensurate with experience, including a competitive base salary plus a performance-based bonus, and a comprehensive benefits package.
Applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed. Review of applications will begin immediately. To apply, please submit a resume and/or vita, and a cover letter, to VMIAlumniAgenciesCEO@buffkinbaker.com
Ken Carrick, Partner 980-296-5401
Janny DeLoache, Associate Partner 704-377-7828
VMI and the VMI Alumni Agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers. In a continuing effort to enrich its academic environment and provide equal education and employment opportunities, VMI encourages women, minorities, disabled individuals, and veterans to apply. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are also encouraged to apply. VMI will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with documented disabilities to ensure equal access and equal opportunities with regard to employment, educational opportunities, programs and services.
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