David Howell has been hired by the University as the new Director of Development for the Leon Hess Business School (LBHS) as of Aug. 20.
Howell noted his exciting parts about his new position and said, “Becoming part of a new community, and a thriving, rising Monmouth [University]. community at that; the opportunity to meet new faculty, staff and a whole new set of constituents; and joining the same institution my younger sister and sister-in-law experienced back in the 1980’s.”
Jonathan Meer, Vice President for University Advancement, said, “Dave Howell is a tremendous addition to our senior fundraising team. He has decades of successful fundraising experience, first at UPenn and then at Choate Rosemary Hall, one of the best college prep schools in America. And he’s originally from this area so he’s already familiar with (and known by) a number of our top donors and prospective contributors.”
Howell said, “[I want to] make a difference in the lives of our students and faculty by partnering with alumni and friends of the business school regarding their charitable giving.”
He continued that he would also like to, “address the LHBS varied funding needs from scholarships to faculty support and development to the Hawk Capital Fund to naming our Financial Markets Lab.”
Meer praised the University’s decision to embrace the ‘unit-based fundraising. This type of program entails each school/department having its own fundraiser that aims to help it fund its major necessities. Howell credited LHBS not having their own fundraiser for creating Howell’s job as Director of Development.
“Like all our fundraisers, Dave’s focus this year will be on securing major gifts to fund scholarships for our students,” said Meer. “Since we have so many highly successful alumni from the Business School, and a very experienced Dean in that school (Don Moliver) who enjoys strong relationships with many alumni and friends in the community, we are confident that Dave will be one of our top ‘producers’ as he adjusts to the environment at the University.”
Chloe Barone, a junior communication student, said, “I think it is great that Monmouth is constantly looking to hire fresh faces and expand their community. New perspectives give me hope that the University is continuing to grow.”
Meer said, “In the long-term, Dave will work with the Dean of the Business School to bring in gifts to support the School’s strategic plan. That will likely involve raising funds for the new program in Insurance and Risk Management, among other priorities in the School.”
“Bringing in a fundraiser of Dave Howell’s caliber is going to help professionalize everything that goes on in our development department. I know Wendy Parsons (Monmouth’s new Associate Vice President for Development) is thrilled to have someone of Dave’s experience on her team,” said Meer.
Howell sighted the legacy he would like to leave Monmouth with is “to leave my successor a stronger and more vibrant development and alumni relations program at the Leon Hess Business School.” He added, “[I would like] to play an integral role in the funding of ongoing and new business school programs, including a potential Institute of Insurance and Risk Management, and to be a resource for my fellow Directors of Development at Monmouth’s other schools and our University Advancement team.”
“The primary impact I would like to have is to build strong relationships with alumni and friends of the school that will serve Monmouth for many years to come,” stated Howell, “and to make it possible for as many bright and promising young men and women to be able to afford to pursue their dreams as a hawk.”
