[PDADC-L] Appointment of Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations

MEMORANDUM

To: PDAD&C
From: David Palmer, Vice-President, Advancement
Date: July 6, 2011
Subject: Appointment of Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Barbara Dick as Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations, effective immediately.

Barbara brings to the role extensive experience as a senior executive in alumni relations over 18 years, an embracing familiarity with the University of Toronto and its alumni community, and a deep commitment to building alumni engagement, affinity and pride across all the University's constituencies. Barbara has made many contributions to the University over the years. She has led the revitalization of the Spring Reunion program that has seen unprecedented numbers of alumni returning to campus; the re-launch of the alumni website this past April with its compelling alumni video portraits (alumni.utoronto.ca); the expansion of the alumni regional representative network to
76 representatives in 33 countries; and the creation of the Asia Pacific Convocation Ceremony, which last month won a Gold medal at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence Awards.

We were aided in the search process by a Search Committee drawn from relevant internal and external University constituencies, including alumni associations, affiliated alumni groups, alumni governors, and both central and divisional University administrative leadership. The search reached extensively across Canada and the United States, and looked at candidates from both the private and public sectors. From a very strong list of Canadian and U.S. finalists, Barbara emerged as the unanimous choice of the Committee for her deep knowledge of the field, her leadership and executive experience, her penetrating insights into future opportunities to build alumni affinity and engagement in an integrated fashion across all advancement programs, and her grasp of the enormous potential within the University's diverse alumni communities.

Barbara's leadership, talent, and alumni perspectives will be invaluable to the University Advancement executive group as we head into the launch of our next major institutional campaign later this year.

Barbara currently serves on the CASE Commission on Alumni Relations, as a member of the Council of Alumni Association Executives, and since 2004 as a mentor in the University's Rose Patten Leadership Program. In the past she served as President of the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education; she is also an active volunteer in the community.

Please join me in congratulating Barbara and welcoming her to her new role.