A Message to Alumni

from Dean's Desk, Alumni E-Newsletter
April 30, 2003

Dear Yale SOM Graduates,

It is a pleasure to introduce the third alumni e-newsletter, and share our progress in expanding our alumni services and fund raising abilities.

Earlier this year I wrote about a reorganization separating Alumni Affairs from Development. Our intent was to sharpen our focus on Alumni Affairs with the goals of:

• Strengthening ties between Yale SOM and its alumni,
• Developing new ways to involve alumni in the educational activities of the school and
• Making the school an unparalleled intellectual and professional resource for its alumni.

This e-newsletter is part of this effort. It highlights resources, as well as news and events of interest.

As you may know, this winter we added SOM alumna Maureen Burke (SOM '97) to the Alumni Affairs team. Many of you know Maureen already from the outstanding work she does in student affairs. Her primary focus in this new, expanded position is strengthening and facilitating ties between students, faculty and alumni. Maureen joins Rita Chepulis and Louise Koch, both of whom have served alumni with great enthusiasm and grace under the interim leadership of Associate Dean Cecile Ablack. Cecile has been re-deployed back to External Affairs and Strategic Planning, and now, the Alumni Affairs office reports directly to me. I am enjoying my greater personal involvement in issues affecting the entire SOM community, and continuing what has become a very productive partnership with the SOMAA.

We also have important news on the Development front. I am delighted to announce the appointment of Nevin Kessler to the newly created position of Associate Dean for Development. Nevin joins our team with many years of proven fundraising success. Most recently, he led the University of Connecticut Foundation's record-breaking $300 million comprehensive capital campaign. He had similar success as Associate Vice President of Development at Virginia Tech, managing the final phase of a $250 million campaign and exceeding its goal by 35%. Nevin rounds out his knowledge with experience in career planning and placement at the Universities of Virginia and Pennsylvania. He is already hard at work developing a major fundraising plan for this most critical time in the school's future.
These recent developments are a sign we are making great progress in reaching our long-term goals. We are assembling a solid team that is committed to placing the Yale School of Management at the forefront of the world's top business schools. As we proceed with new initiatives and projects, we will keep you informed and, as always, seek your invaluable advice on how to provide the best possible services to keep your connection with Yale SOM dynamic, timely and highly rewarding.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey E. Garten, Dean