December 10, 1998
KALAMAZOO -- The Development Office at Western Michigan University has filled vacancies in two new five-year positions and two existing permanent positions.
Appointed to the new positions are Kathleen A. Barnes and Nancy S. Knowles. Barnes was named director of major gifts and Knowles director of development for the Haworth College of Business. In addition, Stephen M. Keizer has been appointed director of corporate/foundation relations while Shelley Renae Murphy will succeed him as director of annual giving.
The major gifts and development director positions add staff members in the critical areas of major gifts fund raising and constituent fund raising, said Bud Bender, assistant vice president for external affairs and director of development. Plans call for more of these special fund-raisers to be appointed to five-year terms in the near future.
"During the next few years, these new staff members will help the University strengthen its relationships with alumni, friends and business partners throughout Michigan and across the country," Bender said. "Equally important, they'll spend a lot of time with individuals and organizations to match donor interests with WMU's areas of greatest need."
Major gift fund-raisers will work closely with administrators and faculty members across the University, developing specialized fund-raising programs. Constituent fund-raisers will work closely with academic colleges or administrative divisions to design and implement comprehensive development programs for their respective units.
Barnes of Battle Creek, Mich., joined WMU Sept. 8 and comes to the University with a decade of experience in local nonprofit organizations.
Most recently she was director of development for Catholic and Family Services in Kalamazoo. From 1995 to 1997 she was director of development for the Kalamazoo Symphony, directing the major gifts portion of the symphony's successful $6 million dollar capital campaign. She also served two years as development director for Senior Services of Kalamazoo, where she led a successful $1.8 million capital campaign.
Barnes received two degrees from WMU, a bachelor of arts in sociology in 1969 and a master of social work in 1982.
Knowles of Portage, Mich., joined the Development Office Aug. 12 and is development director for the Haworth College of Business. From 1993 to 1997, she was director of external relations for the Division of Student Affairs at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Her duties included developing and implementing divisionwide programs for a variety of offices, including development and alumni relations, and directing a portion of Cornell's $1.5 billion capital campaign.
Previously Knowles was assistant director of career services for the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell and a marketing specialist and market segment manager, Europe, for CIGNA Corp. in Philadelphia, Penn. She also worked in Washington, D.C., as assistant director of marketing for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and as public affairs specialist for the National Cable TV Association.
Knowles received two degrees from Cornell University, a bachelor of arts in English in 1983 and a master of business administration in 1989.
Keizer, also of Portage, has been a staff member in WMU's Development Office since 1996. He joined the office as assistant director of annual giving and was promoted to annual giving director one year later. He became corporate/foundation relations director June 30, replacing Tracy A. Connelly, who accepted a position with Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
In his new post, Keizer is responsible for managing, planning and implementing efforts to seek financial support from corporations and foundations. These duties include taking charge of special targeted capital campaigns and organizing special events for corporations, foundations and University donor groups.
Currently, he is completing WMU's doctoral degree program in educational leadership. He already has two degrees from the University, a bachelor of science in physical education in 1989 and a master of arts with an emphasis in athletic administration in 1991.
Murphy, who succeeds Keizer as director of annual giving, oversees the Development Office's annual phonathon and direct mail programs. She had been corporate communications manager for Michigan State University's Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies since 1995. Previously, she was a marketing specialist for Higman Healthcare in St. Petersburg, Fla.
A WMU graduate, Murphy was named the 1992 Presidential Scholar in the Department of English. The Presidential Scholar designation is the University's highest honor to a senior. She went on to serve as an adjunct English department faculty member at higher education institutions in Florida and Michigan from 1993 to 1995 and at WMU from 1997 to 1998.
Murphy received a bachelor of arts degree in English from WMU in 1992 and a master of arts degree in English from the University of Virginia in 1993.
Media contact: Jeanne Baron, 616 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu
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