Ogeka, Richmond Promoted at Kutztown University Foundation

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KUTZTOWN, PA (11/08/2017) Alex Ogeka has been promoted to executive director of the Kutztown University Foundation and Ed Richmond has been promoted to associate executive director and chief financial officer of the foundation, effective immediately.

Ogeka and Richmond served as co-interim executive directors of the foundation the past two months. Prior to that, Ogeka held several leadership roles with the foundation and university, dating back to 2006. Richmond has been the foundation's chief financial officer since 2009.

"On behalf of the KU Foundation Board, I want to congratulate Alex and Ed on their promotions," said Bob Landis, president of the KU Foundation Board of Directors. "Alex and Ed have a long-standing connection with the university. Each has developed strong relationships -- crucial to the short and long term success of the foundation -- and demonstrated a track record of superior performance. As co-interim directors, Alex and Ed exhibited an insightful, collaborative and action-oriented approach. It was clear to the board that we already had the leadership in place to chart our course into the future."

"I am grateful to the foundation board for their selection of Alex and Ed," KU President Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson said. "I am looking forward to working with them in telling the wonderful KU story to our alumni and friends, so as to raise resources to help our students and faculty."

Ogeka most recently served as the foundation's senior director of Development and Alumni Relations, a position he was promoted to in 2014. He was responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight to successfully engage alumni, faculty, staff, friends and parents to build a robust program of philanthropy to support KU students.

From 2011-14, Ogeka was director of Alumni Engagement, a role in which he planned, implemented and promoted all alumni programs in support of the foundation's strategic plan. He served as a campaign committee member for KU's "Setting the Stage" campaign, which generated more than $15 million.

Ogeka served as director of Major Gifts for the foundation from 2010-11, securing more than $500,000 in scholarship support to benefit KU students and student-athletes, and director of Athletic Advancement from 2006-10, overseeing athletic fundraising, marketing, promotions and special events and the KU mascot program.

Prior to joining the KU Foundation, Ogeka was the director of Development for Athletics at Mansfield University and the director of Marketing and Ticket Operations at University of Hartford.

Ogeka holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sport management from Mercyhurst University, Erie, Pa., and a Master of Science in leadership from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa. He is a certified fund raising executive (CFRE).

"I am very excited for the opportunity to lead the Kutztown University Foundation at this crucial time for both the foundation and the university," Ogeka said. "I want to thank the foundation board, the university leadership, and the campus community for their support and confidence in our direction, and I look forward to working with our staff and many across campus and the community to make a difference in the lives of many future generations of KU students." Richmond will now be responsible for foundation operations in addition to his duties as chief financial officer. He is a certified public accountant in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, a Chartered Global Management Accountant, and senior financial executive with broad-reaching experience in public accounting (Big Four and regional firms) and industry. Richmond has been instrumental in positioning KUF for long-term growth, guiding the foundation through novel investment strategies. During his eight years at KU, the foundations' investment portfolio has nearly tripled in value.

Richmond has extensive expertise in serving not-for-profit organizations and institutions of higher education from both an internal and external perspective. These include Cedar Crest College, Princeton University, Temple University, Dickinson College, Marywood University, Drew University, DeSales University and Lehigh University. Richmond graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in accounting from Muhlenberg College.

"I am thrilled for the opportunity to take on a broader scope in leading the KU Foundation," Richmond said. "My objective is to support Alex in a quest to double the foundation's endowment so we can support more faculty programs and provide more student scholarships than ever before." The KU Foundation has been raising funds to support the students, faculty, programs and capital needs of Kutztown University since 1983. With the generous support of KU alumni and friends of the University, the foundation raises millions of dollars for student scholarships, endowment, building projects, academic programs, athletics and more. The foundation is a private non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and all gifts to the foundation are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. The KU Foundation also includes Alumni Relations, whose purpose is to improve the KU alumni experience.