Holgate appointed VP for Development, Alumni Relations

Randy Holgate has been appointed Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations, effective immediately.

In announcing the appointment, President Sonnenschein said, "I cannot think of a better outcome of the national search we have conducted over the past months. Randy's talent and her love of the University, her depth of experience in Development & Alumni Relations and her enthusiasm and personal commitment will serve us superbly."

As Vice President, Holgate has responsibility for the University's fundraising and alumni-relations activities. She has played a key role in the planning and implementation of the Campaign for the Next Century, which has achieved more than 75 percent of its goal of $500 million in half of its five-year term.

"Randy is clearly the right person to provide the leadership for our planning and for the implementation of the University's development programs," Sonnenschein said. "Fundraising is a task all of us -- faculty and administrators, Trustees, alumni and other friends of the University -- must see as critical to the University's future. It is a process that involves building understanding and commitment as much as it does raising funds."

Holgate had been Acting Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations since November. It was her second stint as Acting Vice President. In 1987-88, she oversaw the successful completion of the Campaign for the Arts & Sciences.

Holgate, who had been Associate Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations since 1990, joined the University's Development staff in 1979 as Director of the President's Fund and Associate Director of Annual Giving. She became Director of Annual Giving in 1982 and Assistant Vice President in 1986.

Before coming to Chicago, Holgate was director of the annual fund at Hampshire College in 1978-79 and held several positions in the Campaign for Yale from 1973 to 1978. She received her B.A. in art history from Wheaton College (Mass.) and did graduate work in art history at the University of Minnesota.

Characterized by Sonnenschein as "a wonderful citizen of the University," Holgate serves on the Personnel Review Committee, has been a member of the Smart Museum board since 1990 and was on the Court Theatre board from 1987 to 1989.