Charles J. Pagnam, who has served as the second ranking development official at the University for the last three years and been a Yale fundraiser for most of the past two decades, was named Vice President for Development by President Richard C. Levin on Dec. 18. Pagnam assumed his new position on Jan. 1.
"Charlie has been one of the architects of Yale's extraordinary fundraising efforts during this decade, and this promotion allows us to build on his successes," said Levin, who announced the appointment to Development Office staff.
Pagnam succeeded Terry Holcombe, who retired from the vice president's post he had served in since 1981. "I feel honored by President Levin's confidence in me, and challenged by the huge shoes I have to fill in following Terry Holcombe, who has been not only my mentor, but a role model and good friend," said Pagnam.
Pagnam was a central figure in the University's recent "... and for Yale" campaign, which raised $1.7 billion in five years, making it the largest capital campaign in the history of higher education.
The Development Office is responsible for all University fundraising from individuals, corporations and foundations. It oversees fundraising for Yale College and assists the development efforts of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the University's 10 professional schools. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1997, Yale received $203 million in cash gifts, and pledges for an additional $140 million. Pagnam oversees a staff of 160.
"There is no question that with Charlie's leadership, Yale will continue to be among the nation's leaders in receiving charitable gifts as well as corporate and foundation grants," said Levin.
Pagnam is one of just six officers of the University. The others are Levin, Provost Alison Richard, Vice President and University Secretary Linda Lorimer, Vice President and General Counsel Dorothy Robinson and Vice President for Finance and Administration Joseph Mullinix. In May, the officer corps will expand to seven with the addition of Bruce Alexander, who will become Yale's first Vice President for New Haven and State Affairs.
Pagnam joined the Yale staff in 1977 to work on The Campaign for Yale, the University's major fund drive during the 1970s. He left Yale briefly to serve as development director of Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, Connecticut, and rejoined the Yale staff in 1981 as associate director for athletic alumni affairs. He returned to the central Development Office in 1984 when he became associate director of development with responsibilities for the southwestern region of the United States.
He was promoted to senior development officer with expanded geographic responsibilities and, in 1987, to director of major gifts, which placed him in charge of about 10 development programs. In 1992, Pagnam was named director of capital giving and his duties were further expanded two years later to include the Yale Alumni Fund, one of the oldest and most successful alumni giving programs in the country, assisted by nearly 3,000 volunteers. In 1995, he was appointed as director of development, when he assumed responsibility for Corporate and Foundation Relations, the office that obtains gifts and grants to support various teaching and research projects.
A native of Hamden, Connecticut, Pagnam earned a bachelor's degree from Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts, and studied at Harvard University's School of Education. He is married and has three children. He and his family live in North Haven, Connecticut.