NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Jill Janov, Marketing and Public Relations
(505) 428-1776
Dr. James Fries, GROW Santa Fe Community College Foundation (505) 428-1819
Dr. James Fries Named Interim Executive Director for Fundraising
Santa Fe, NM, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005 — Educational leader Dr. James Fries has
been selected to be the interim executive director of GROW Santa Fe Community
College Foundation, the college’s new fund-raising arm.
Dr. Fries, president emeritus of College of Santa Fe and former interim president of New
Mexico Highlands University, has worked with several non-profits and educational
entities including Northern State College in South Dakota where he served as director of
development. He has also worked with the New Mexico Commission on Higher
Education, Monte del Sol charter school and the Santa Fe Symphony.
“Dr. Fries, one of the most experienced educational leaders in New Mexico, will lay the
groundwork for the GROW Santa Fe Community College Foundation. He will work with
board members to initiate several activities over the next few months, with a focus on
supporting the region's educational and training needs,” said Dr. Sheila Ortego, president
of GROW and executive vice president of SFCC.
Dr. Fries has experience in the areas of fundraising, program development, fiscal
planning and management, strategic planning, board development and public relations.
He will oversee GROW Santa Fe Community College Foundation by working with its
newly appointed board members as well as existing and potential donors.
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Interim Executive Director (Page 2)
"SFCC is a vital resource for everyone in the greater Santa Fe area, and I look forward to
building support for the college's students and programs. I appreciate the work others
have done in the past and hope to involve everyone who is interested in quality education
as we address both current and future needs and opportunities at SFCC,” Fries said.
Fries will replace Dr. Mark Gelber, a consultant who has been serving as acting director
of GROW Santa Fe Community College Foundation since December.
“Special thanks go out to Dr. Mark Gelber, who has successfully directed development of
bylaws, spending and investment policies and the preliminary activities of GROW Santa
Fe Community College Foundation,” Santa Fe Community College President Jim
McLaughlin said.
The GROW Santa Fe Community College Foundation board of directors currently
includes Carole Brito, vice chair of the SFCC Governing Board and vice president of
GROW; President McLaughlin, secretary/treasurer of GROW; Rob Hoffman, a financial
adviser with UBS Financial Services, Inc. in Santa Fe; Harry Hummer, a retired banking
professional who is the chair of Santa Fe Economic Development Inc.; Charles E.
“Chuck” Pacheco, office leader for the University of California at Los Alamos National
Laboratory and a former member of the governing board of Santa Fe Community
College; Kathy Rael, chief executive officer of Rael, With and Ahrendsen; and Heidi
Tilton, vice president and senior trust team manager at Wells Fargo Bank.
About Santa Fe Community College
Santa Fe Community College serves more than 14,500 students per year in its credit, noncredit
and adult basic education programs. For further information, visit www.sfccnm.edu or call (505)
428-1000.
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