Owensboro, Ky. (June 17, 2015) – Tom Keith, Vice President for Advancement at Kentucky Wesleyan College since February of this year, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Kentucky chapter, effective immediately. Additionally, M. Blake Harrison, Wesleyan’s Director of Development and Donor Relations, was recently named to the CASE-KY 2015 Conference Planning Committee.
CASE is an international association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals who work on their behalf in alumni relations, communications, development and marketing. Over 3,600 colleges and universities belong to CASE, comprising an active membership of 78,000 individuals.
Keith, who has worked in the advancement field for five schools over a distinguished fifteen-year career, including stints at both the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University, served on the nine-state CASE District III Conference Committee this past year and is a regular presenter at the annual event. In addition, he was the inaugural recipient of the district’s Mentor of the Year Award at the 2014 conference in Orlando for his work with budding advancement professionals.
“I am honored to be invited to join the CASE Kentucky Board of Directors,” said Keith. “I have great mentors who have helped me over the years, so I try to give back to the profession at every opportunity. Having spent over a decade of my professional career in the Commonwealth at three wonderful institutions, I look forward to serving on behalf of all advancement professionals in the great state of Kentucky.”
Wesleyan President Bart Darrell remarked, “I knew when I added Tom to our executive team that he was a national leader in higher education advancement. I am not at all surprised he was appointed to the CASE Kentucky board. This appointment reflects well not only on Tom and Kentucky Wesleyan, but also on Owensboro and Daviess County, as our community has come to expect its leaders to also make a difference at the national level.”
Jill Smith, current president of CASE-KY and an associate director with the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, added, “Tom’s strong working knowledge in the field of advancement makes him an ideal choice for CASE Kentucky. We are fortunate to have him as an active member, which will only strengthen our organization.”
Harrison, who joined the Wesleyan advancement staff last month, has been working with the Conference Planning Committee since January. This group is responsible for all aspects of the annual state-wide conference, including the procurement of session speakers, implementation of a conference theme and marketing the event to industry professionals. This year’s conference will be held December 10-11 in Lexington.
“It is a privilege to serve on the planning committee,” Harrison said. “I actually learned of the positive momentum at Kentucky Wesleyan at a recent CASE conference and am thrilled to now be part of a dynamic advancement team. I am proud to represent the school within such a prestigious organization.”
-Kentucky Wesleyan College-