10/21/98
Contact: Richard Siemer, (740) 593-1892
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University has named Pam Parker to the newly created position of assistant vice president for external relations.
Parker has served as associate dean for development in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology since 1990. She previously served as executive director of the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens for 11 years.
In her new position, Parker will act as the main liaison between the university and agencies of the federal government. Her work will include identifying ways in which Ohio University faculty research may be of assistance to federal agencies, and matching university needs and special projects with available federal funding. She also will be responsible for overseeing the expansion of the Ohio University Airport. Parker will report to Vice President for Finance Richard Siemer.
"Pam brings an extraordinarily strong background to this important position," Siemer said. "In addition to her development experience at Ohio University, she has a broad knowledge of grants and funding opportunities and government agency interaction from her many years at the Dairy Barn. She will be an extremely capable advocate for us in Washington, D.C."
Parker will start her new role in mid-December. Her office will be located in the HDL Center on West Union Street.
"Ohio University's outstanding faculty have solid, longstanding relationships with federal agencies," Siemer said. "Now, perhaps more than ever in the past, we need to be finely attuned to matching funded research opportunities with faculty expertise. In her new position, working hand-in-hand with the Research Office and its vice president, Carol Blum, Pam will be able to add her exceptional talents to the process of converging university and federal research interest."
Russ College Dean W. Kent Wray said the college will miss Parker's skills as a fund-raiser.
"While the faculty and I of the Russ College will miss Pam's considerable skills as a fund-raiser for the college, this is a natural move for her," Wray said. "She's energetic and motivated, and her new role will benefit the entire university community."
Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development Leonard Raley said: "During Pam's tenure on the development staff, she almost doubled the annual fund-raising results for the Russ College of Engineering and Technology from $1.8 million in her first year to more than $3.5 million this past year. Overall , she helped to raise more than $22 million since 1989. Pam's shoes will be tough to fill, but I think she is an excellent choice for this very important new position at Ohio University."
Parker earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology at Ohio University. She and her husband, Bill Morgan, an architect with RVC Architects, live in Athens. They have three children.