The University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that John Morris will return to Minnesota to be the Foundation’s next Chief Executive Officer and President, effective May 1. Morris’s nearly 20 years of progressive leadership in the field of higher education philanthropy and advancement make him an ideal candidate to lead the Foundation into the future.

Morris honed his leadership vision and approach through his work at several prestigious higher education institutions. He currently serves as Senior Vice President at the Texas A&M Foundation. Before his time at Texas A&M, Morris served in leadership roles at Auburn University and Kansas State University. This move marks a homecoming of sorts for Morris, who previously worked for UMF, leading the regional major gifts team for four years.

“John is uniquely positioned to lead the University of Minnesota Foundation and guide its next comprehensive campaign, after having served in leadership roles at some of the country’s most notable land-grant universities for the past 20 years,” said Rebecca Cunningham, President of the University of Minnesota. “Based on the wealth of experience and expertise that John brings to this leadership position, I am confident that UMF will continue to thrive, further positioning the University of Minnesota for extraordinary success for generations to come.”

“The search working group was thrilled to find not only a candidate familiar with UMF, but a leader who has a demonstrated track record of innovation, excellence, and collaboration that is needed in today’s philanthropy and advancement work,” said Chip Glaser, UMF Board Chair. “John’s commitment to data driven expectations as well as to the nurturing of quality relationships made him a standout for taking the Foundation to the next level of performance.”

The UMF Board of Trustees and staff are grateful for the 11 years of leadership that current CEO Kathy Schmidlkofer has provided to UMF. Schmidlkofer, who announced her intention to retire last year, has led the UMF team during the search process and is committed to helping onboard John to this new role.

“Philanthropy is perhaps the fastest and most impactful way to solve the problems facing our world. Our work matters—it matters to our benefactors, our institutions, our states, our nation, and our world,” said Morris. “I am honored and humbled at the chance to lead the University of Minnesota Foundation.”