Charles J. Pagnam, director of development in the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, will serve Acting Vice President for Development, effective Jan. 1 upon the retirement of Terry Holcombe, President Richard C. Levin announced. Mr. Pagnam, a longtime Yale employee, will have responsibility for the full spectrum of Yale's highly respected development efforts, which resulted in individual gifts and corporate and foundation grants totaling just over $200 million for the fiscal year just completed.
President Levin said: "Yale is very fortunate to have someone of Charlie's seniority and expertise to direct our development efforts during the search process. He has served in a number of major development posts during 19 years of stellar service to Yale. As director of development for the past three years, Charlie has been the University's second-ranking development officer. I am confident Yale will continue to be at the national forefront in receiving charitable gifts as well as corporate and foundation grants under his leadership."
Mr. Pagnam's educational credentials include a bachelor's degree from Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts, and courses at the Harvard School of Education. He joined the Yale staff in 1977 to work on The Campaign for Yale -- the University's major fund drive during the 1970s -- and left Yale briefly in 1980 to become development director of Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, Connecticut. He rejoined the Yale staff in 1981 and served for three years as associate director for athletic alumni affairs.
Returning to the central development office in 1984, Mr. Pagnam became associate director of development with responsibilities for the southwestern region of the United States. Subsequently, 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 professionals. Two years later, he was asked to take on principal gifts, which gave him responsibility for a portfolio of the University's top 100 prospects.
In 1992, Mr. Pagnam was named director of capital giving, a newly created post with responsibility for both major and principal gifts. His duties were further expanded in 1994 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. Finally, in 1995, he was appointed to the position of Director of Development, when he was given responsibility for Corporate and Foundation Relations, the office that obtains gifts and grants to support various teaching and research projects throughout the University.