May 28, 2004

SIUC's Roger Neuhaus accepts position in Arizona

by Tom Woolf

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Roger J. Neuhaus, who coordinates overall fund-raising efforts for Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will leave the University on July 31.

He and his family are relocating to Oak Creek, Ariz., where Neuhaus will become vice president for community outreach and president of the foundation for The Verde Valley Medical Center.

Neuhaus has been SIUC's associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement and director of development for the SIU Foundation since July 2001.

"My family and I appreciate and value our 20-year relationship with the University and the people of Southern Illinois," said Neuhaus, who earned a master's degree in organization and administration of higher education from SIUC in 1990. "We are grateful to have lived in a truly wonderful place and feel fortunate to have served SIU professionally, and the broader community through our volunteer efforts. It is our sincere hope that our time and work here have allowed us to touch the lives of others in positive, lasting and meaningful ways."

Neuhaus served as the SIU Alumni Association's assistant director for corporate relations and chapter development from May 1989 until June 1993. He also was assistant director for chapter relations for the association from February 1986 until June 1987, and coordinator of the SIU Parents Association from June 1985 until February 1986.

He spent nearly five years in various development roles for Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and from 1998 to 2001 was vice president for development for Finley Tri-States Health Group and executive director of the Finley Health Foundation in Dubuque.

Rickey N. McCurry, SIUC's vice chancellor for institutional advancement, called Neuhaus' pending departure "a big loss to this University and to me personally."

"This is a great opportunity for Roger and it is well deserved," McCurry said. "It's like in athletics -- good people are known. When they do good things, people notice that and they want that kind of person in their program. We can't replace Roger -- he's unique -- but we will find someone who will be very capable and we will continue to move in the right direction."