FSU Names Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Fairmont State University has named A.P. "Bun" Perkinson as Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc. He will begin his duties on Oct. 19.
"Bun's rich base of experience will provide guidance to Fairmont State University at a critical stage for fundraising and development activities. Along with FSU's dedicated board members and talented staff members, Bun will help maintain the momentum created by FSU's first and very successful capital campaign and the ongoing bridge campaign. I am confident that Bun's record of accomplishment will build on that success to take FSU to an even greater level of excellence," said Thomas L. Krepel, Ph.D., FSU President.
Perkinson brings with him more than 40 years of executive experience in the areas of development, fundraising, public relations and management issues for higher education and non-profit corporations.
"I am really looking forward to working with President Krepel and his entire staff to generate forward momentum for the Institutional Advancement program of Fairmont State University during this interim period, as Dr. Krepel seeks permanent Advancement leadership. The senior administrators and the advancement professionals whom I met during the interview process were impressive, and the campus community was friendly and welcoming. There is tremendous potential at Fairmont State, and I am pleased to become a part of the University's on-going quest for excellence," Perkinson said.
"All of us with the Fairmont State Foundation look forward to working with Bun. The experience he brings to this interim appointment will help us build on the success of our initial capital campaign. We know he will be a catalyst to advance our mission of providing the private resources essential for Fairmont State and Pierpont Community & Technical College to truly soar," said Gina Fantasia, President of the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors.
Since 2003, Perkinson has served as Vice President of Collegiate Enterprise Solutions, LLC, (CES), a consulting firm based in Peabody, Massachusetts, which has nationwide higher education clients and is a member of The Registry of College & University Presidents. He is also President of Perkinson & Associates, Inc., a multi-faceted consulting firm specializing in problem-solving for businesses and lenders.
From 1975 to 1987, Perkinson was President of St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina. He led the college from the brink of closing in 1975 to become a successful operation. Under his leadership, endowment value and annual fundraising results tripled and enrollment increased by 50 percent. He also organized a for-profit subsidiary, St. Andrews Development Corporation, to develop college-owned land not needed for educational purposes into income-producing assets.
Perkinson's experience also includes serving as Director of Development and Public Relations for Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where he directed the largest capital campaign in the college's history up to that time. He was also Chief Development Officer at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. He earned a B.A. Degree with Honors in History from Davidson College in 1957 and served on the college's Board of Visitors in 1989-1990. He currently resides in North Carolina.
