Feb. 15, 2005

Advancing GW’s Financial Future

New Vice President for Advancement Price Jones Sets Tone for GW’s Fundraising Efforts

By Tracy Schario

During a welcome reception for GW’s new vice president for advancement, Laurel Price Jones shared insight into her management ethic. Holding Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in 2005,” she heralded the brand promise of the No. 1 company, Wegmans Food Markets.

“It’s all about people. This means the company looks at employees and at customers as the most important elements in its strategy to distinguish Wegmans from the competition — including Goliaths like WalMart.

“I want our advancement staff at GW to be like Wegmans — the place for advancement professionals to work in Washington. If we are successful in recruiting and retaining the best talent, there is no question we will provide the increasing levels of support the president — and the whole University — are seeking.”

President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg announced the selection of Laurel Price Jones as vice president for advancement in January. Price Jones will lead the University’s fundraising campaigns and oversee the diverse programs of the advancement and alumni relations division. She plans to begin meeting the GW community in mid-February and officially joins the University March 1.

“Laurel brings the tenacity and know-how to leverage GW’s reputation, alumni, and academic excellence to enhance our endowment, increase annual giving, and secure more foundation grants,” said Trachtenberg. “I want to thank the search committee and its chair Nelson Carbonell, B.S. ’85, GW trustee, and CEO of Snowbird Capital, Inc., for their diligence in identifying the best candidate for this significant executive position with the University.”

One of Price Jones’ most meaningful lessons learned is that “people, those willing to make a gift, want to do something larger than themselves, something with lasting impact,” she said in an interview. “Helping individuals realize their goals brings me great rewards and satisfaction.”

Price Jones brings 20 years of fundraising and alumni relations experience to GW and a track record of creating growth-oriented campaigns and securing endowment gifts. She most recently served as vice president for development and alumni relations at Rochester Institute of Technology, a 175-year-old institution with 15,300 students and 90,000 alumni. During her five-year tenure, Price Jones increased annual giving to more than $44 million, up from $15 million, and secured several multi-million dollar gifts, including a single $14 million gift.

The selection of Price Jones concluded a highly competitive national search which began in spring 2004. The search committee reviewed the credentials of more than 70 candidates for the position and selected six finalists. Candidates’ experience varied from chief fundraiser at a prestigious medical center to a development professional at one of GW’s market basket institutions.

“GW recently completed a capital campaign, which helped raised the endowment to its current high watermark of nearly $773 million,” said Charles T. Manatt, J.D. ’62, chair of GW’s Board of Trustees. “With Laurel Price Jones now leading the efforts of our talented staff, we look forward to using our current momentum as a springboard to future growth and prosperity for the institution.”

“GW is hot; everything you read shows you it’s on the move,” said Price Jones. “The University has a terrific story — increasingly selective in terms of students and faculty, strong and active alumni, good leadership, and a mission. This is what you look for as a fundraiser, and I’m very pleased to be joining the GW team.”

Price Jones’ credentials include fundraising for University Hospitals of Cleveland and the Cleveland Clinic, both in Ohio. Early in her career, Price Jones applied her science knowledge to writing, specializing in elementary and secondary science and math textbooks. In 1984 she joined Oberlin College as a writer for the communications, development, and alumni affairs offices. Price Jones also served as the director of corporate and foundation support at Oberlin from 1989 to 1993.

“While I was raising my children, I did mostly freelance writing, so I was always hustling for the next opportunity,” Price Jones said. “During my tenure with Oberlin, I honed my persuasive writing skills as a campaign and foundation grant writer. The ability to articulate the case in a clear and concise way easily translated to development work and has allowed me to work with a cadre of top-notch professionals and meet dynamic business leaders, enthusiastic alumni, and proponents of higher education.”

Price Jones is a member of the board of trustees for Hochstein School of Music, Rochester, NY. She also competes in the regional Masters’ Swim Tournaments, and when time permits, Price Jones participates in choral groups. An alumna of Oberlin College, she earned a B.A. in physics, 1970, and a M.A. in biology, 1972. She moves to DC with her husband, Rhys Price Jones, who will teach bioinformatics and computer science at GW beginning fall 2005. She and her husband have three adult daughters.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu