Joseph Buck named associate dean of alumni relations and development at Chicago Booth

Joseph Buck, an accomplished fundraiser who leads UChicago development efforts directed at individuals and families, has been named associate dean of alumni relations and development at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the school announced April 4.

The appointment is effective May 16.

“With his deep roots in education and more than eight years leading development teams at the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania and La Salle University, Joe has demonstrated the energy, insight and enthusiasm to continue our efforts to transform the relationship we have with our 45,000 alumni,” said Sunil Kumar, dean of Chicago Booth.

“One of our objectives is to increase the engagement of our alumni in the intellectual life of the school,” Kumar said. “Joe’s ability to build strong relationships in complex organizations around the world is a perfect match to our goals and his knowledge of the University of Chicago’s values and history will provide a smooth runway for his entry into this position.”

Buck has spent the past four years in senior positions in UChicago’s central development office, most recently serving as assistant vice president for individual giving.           

In that role he was the University’s chief individual giving officer and developed, managed and carried out programs to meet the University’s goals for privately contributed gifts from individuals and families. He managed a central fundraising staff of 35 people, which raised more than $35 million last year.

Earlier in his career Buck was senior major gifts officer at the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia and director of major gifts at La Salle University in Philadelphia.

He spent more than a year in China teaching English conversation and reading to Chinese college and middle school students.

The role of associate dean of alumni relations and development had been filled on an interim basis by Mark Zmijewski since July 2010. Zmijewski will return to his role as deputy dean for the part-time MBA programs and his faculty position as the Leon Carroll Marshall Professor of Accounting.