The Biggest Challenges Fund Raisers Face When They Become CEO’s

Photo by Fred Mertz

Janice Gow Pettey, 61
Former chief executive officer, Sacramento Region Community Foundation, Calif.
Years on the job: 4
Last fund-raising job: Chief advancement officer, American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter, San Francisco
“The biggest challenge for me was discovering how lonely it can be being a CEO.”

Photo by Chris Casaburi

Karen Brooks Hopkins, 54
President, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Academy of Music
Years on the job: 7
Last fund-raising job: Vice president for development, Brooklyn Academy of Music
“Many leaders just want Yes people. You do not want to be afraid of having talented people who will challenge you.”

Photo by Michael McDermott

Linda Netherton, 52
Co-director, Housing Development Corporation of Northwest Oregon, Hillsboro
Years on the job: 7
Last fund-raising job: Chief development officer, Mercy Corps International, Portland, Ore.
“I had assumed, coming from a large, international organization to a small, local one, there would be a simplification of the work and it would be easier to manage. The big surprise was that this was absolutely not true.”

Photo by Bob Daemmrich

Jake B. Schrum, 60
President, Southwestern University, Georgetown, Tex.
Years on the job: 6
Last fund-raising job: Vice president for planning and development, Emory University
“When you are vice president for development and you make a bad decision, the president can come in and make it right and take care of the situation. If you are president and you make a mistake, it is final.”

Photo by Edward Caldwell

Karen Ransom, 47
Executive director, Museum of Children’s Art, Oakland, Calif.
Years on the job: 2
Last fund-raising job: Director of development, Stern Grove Festival, San Francisco, Calif.
“I had to learn to float through the transition when board and staff leave. Change is inevitable, you have to stay abreast the best you can, you cannot hold people simply because you need them to stay with you.”

Photo by Gary David Gold

Jay A. DiLorenzo, 40
President, Preservation League of New York State, Albany
Years on the job: 1
Last fund-raising job: Director of development, Preservation League of New York State
“You have to be very clear with trustees and others who depend on you for development that you are no longer the go-to guy on development. It is easy for trustees to continue to turn to you.”

Photo by Doug Hopfer

Paige Flink, 49
Executive director, Family Place, Dallas
Years on job: 8
Last fund-raising job: Director of development, Family Place
“If making the sale and bringing in the money is your focus and your passion, then you do not want to be executive director. If you are very structured and not very flexible, being executive director is not the right position for you.”

Photo by Cary Herz

Louis Caldera, 50
Outgoing president, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Years on the job: 2
Last fund-raising job: Vice president of advancement, California State University System
“Who are the three most important people who influence this institution? If you ask 10 people that, you will get a sense of where the power in the organization really is.”