January 15, 2012 | Read Time: 1 minute
New job: Mark Wier, 42, starts this month as the new chief development officer at the American Civil Liberties Union.
Background: He worked previously as senior director of corporate and foundation relations at the International Rescue Committee. Other past fundraising jobs include positions at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, WNET-TV, and the New York Public Library.
Education: Mr. Wier holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and music from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a master’s degree in business administration, with a focus on nonprofit administration, from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Why he wanted the job: The ACLU’s mission and its “world class” fundraising operation. Mr. Wier says of Anthony Romero, the group’s leader: “He’s an executive director who really understands fundraising and is committed to it. That’s a real luxury.”
Challenges: Recruiting younger donors; the average age of the charity’s donors is 65. Mr. Wier also notes that in 2020 the ACLU will celebrate its 100th anniversary, providing a big fundraising opportunity.
Advice for young fundraisers: “Focus on being a good writer.”
Salary: He declined to reveal it.
Recent reading: A Stranger’s Child, by Alan Hollinghurst; Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen; and Good to Great, by Jim Collins.
