<p>Not really…but excellent news, nonetheless.</p>
<p>An advancement executive with more than 25 years of experience in development, marketing and alumni and public relations has been named the new president of the Florida State University Foundation, Inc.
Charles Rasberry</p>
<p>Charles J. Rasberry will succeed Marilyn Spores, who has served as interim president of the Foundation since the resignation of Jeffrey Robison last year. Rasberry, the vice president for college advancement at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif., will assume his duties at FSU on Oct. 18, 2006.</p>
<p>“We are extremely fortunate that Charles Rasberry will be coming to FSU,” said Vice President for University Relations Lee Hinkle. “He is recognized as an effective and productive leader with a proven track record in leading organizations to achieve their goals. We look forward to him guiding the FSU Foundation to the next level of excellence.”</p>
<p>Bill Smith, president and CEO of Capital City Bank Group and chairman of the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees, said the search committee had an impressive pool of candidates for the position, but Rasberry quickly emerged as the frontrunner because of his breadth of experience.</p>
<p>“Charles’ experience will allow him to hit the ground running as FSU prepares itself for the next capital campaign and continues its very successful Pathways of Excellence initiative,” Smith said. “We are delighted Charles and his wife, Helen, will be members of the FSU family.”</p>
<p>As president of the Foundation, Rasberry will serve as the university’s chief academic fund-raising officer with responsibility for planning, executing and managing all fund-raising activities. He will oversee the Foundation’s more than $390 million endowment, $10 million annual budget and a staff of 80.</p>
<p>“Institutions become great when they are being led by great people dedicated to realizing an ambitious vision,” Rasberry said. “It was clear to both my wife and me from our first moment on campus that Florida State University is being led by outstanding people who, through the implementation of the Pathways of Excellence initiative, are skillfully pursuing a vision for Florida State to become recognized as one of the most prestigious universities in the country. I look forward to building on the success that the Foundation has already experienced to help achieve that goal.”</p>
<p>For the entire article:
<a href=“http://www.fsu.edu/news/2006/08/17/foundation.pres/[/url]”>http://www.fsu.edu/news/2006/08/17/foundation.pres/</a></p>