LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville searched far and wide for a new assistant vice president for alumni relations and found him in its own back yard.
U of L has selected Louisvillian James P. Ford to head its alumni operations. Ford, 37, is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the university’s alumni activities. His duties include working with the alumni board to advance the program to all its constituencies, to recruit and organize volunteer activities and to organize programs and special events to support the university and its 90,000 alumni.
He succeeds Tara Singer, who has taken a position in the U of L Development Office.
“Personally and professionally I was ready for some new challenges. A lot of great things are happening in and out of the classroom at the University of Louisville and the opportunity and excitement of working with the alumni association, faculty, students and administration was very appealing,” said Ford. ” The fact that I am a lifelong resident of Louisville and a diehard Cardinal fan was an added bonus.”
Ford has served as director of alumni affairs at Bellarmine University since 1990. While at Bellarmine, he was responsible for planning, coordinating, budgeting and marketing the alumni program. Prior to his role as alumni director, he had served two years as director of development for annual giving. His accomplishments include co-chairing and directing a $4 million capital fundraising campaign for the Our Lady of the Woods Chapel, securing the single largest individual gift in the university’s history and developing alumni networks in 12 markets throughout the United States.
“Jimmy is a tremendous addition to the U of L family,” said Joseph Beyel, vice president for development and alumni. “His leadership skills and passion for alumni affairs will help us take our already outstanding alumni program to a new level.”
For more information, call Ford at (502) 852-6186 or Beyel at (502) 852-6924.