Virginia Commonwealth University has named a vice president for development and alumni relations who will earn $329,000 annually, about a third more than his predecessor.
John I. Blohm, currently vice chancellor for development and alumni affairs at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, will begin work Feb. 25 if the board of visitors approves his hiring at its regular meeting Feb. 10.
Blohm will replace Peter Wyeth, VCU’s vice president for advancement since 1992. Wyeth, who is retiring, earns $225,088 from state funds.
Of Blohm’s salary, $225,000 will be financed by the state and $104,000 from university funds derived from investments, said VCU spokeswoman Pam Lepley. He’ll also receive a $20,000 signing bonus.
Blohm will serve as chief advancement officer for VCU and its medical center — in effect raising money.
VCU President Michael Rao said Blohm will hold a key position that is necessary to broaden resources as state support declines.
“VCU’s emphasis must be on securing resources for faculty recruitment, endowed chairs, scholarships for motivated students and other emerging needs at a national caliber university,” he said in a statement.
VCU, which raised tuition and fees 24 percent for this academic year, faces additional loss of state money as a result of that increase. Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed withholding funding equal to half of the revenue from the increase as a message to schools about rising tuition rates.
Asked about the increase in salary for the vice president position at a time of tight budgets, Lepley attributed the need to pay more to the difficult economic times. She said competition is fierce for successful, top-notch chief development officers.
By comparison, George Mason University pays its vice president for development and alumni affairs, Marc Broderick, $240,000. Robert D. Sweeney, senior vice president for development and public affairs at University of Virginia, earns $413,900. Sean M. Pieri, vice president for university development at the College of William and Mary, earns $249,600.
Rao makes $488,500 a year, $176,113 of which is paid by the state.
Blohm has spent eight years at UAMS, Arkansas’ only teaching hospital. He also was senior associate vice president for health sciences development at Emory University in Atlanta. Previous stops include development positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Florida in Gainesville and Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University, where Rao was president before being hired by VCU two years ago.
Wyeth is credited with fundraising campaigns totaling investments of more than $781 million in the university. Lepley said no fundraising targets have yet been set for Blohm.
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