Message from President Daniels: Senior vice president for external affairs and development

Dear Colleagues:

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the university's board of trustees has approved my recommendation that Michael C. Eicher be promoted to senior vice president for external affairs and development.

Mike has been with Johns Hopkins since 2006 as vice president for development and alumni relations. He brought the Knowledge for the World campaign to a marvelously successful close with commitments of more than $3.7 billion. Since then, he has built an organization primed to support our future efforts to enhance Johns Hopkins' position as a world-class teaching, research and patient care institution.

Mike works with great energy to strengthen our relationships with our alumni, parents and many other friends. He leads a team that persuasively makes the case for Johns Hopkins and for what our faculty, clinicians and students do to advance knowledge and make the world a better place.

In his new role, Mike will expand the arenas in which he makes that case for Johns Hopkins. He will continue to oversee Development and Alumni Relations. He will also assume responsibility for the Office of Communications and Public Affairs, the group within university administration that tells the Johns Hopkins story to audiences on and off campus, through traditional and new media, in print, on video and online.

This expanded assignment is similar in scope to the role Mike held at UCLA prior to coming to Johns Hopkins four years ago. It makes use of his considerable skills in developing and executing communications strategy.

The new position of vice president for communications of the university will report to both Mike and me. A search for the first occupant of this critical position will begin immediately.

In addition, the university trustees have approved the promotion of Fritz Schroeder to vice president for development and alumni relations. Fritz, currently senior associate vice president, has been a leader in the Johns Hopkins development and alumni relations program for 14 years. He is a recognized leader in campaign planning and management and will lead the university's overall efforts in preparing for and organizing our next campaign. His creativity and experience will be critical to the success of ongoing program.

Finally, Ed Miller -- dean of the medical faculty and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine -- and I are delighted to announce that we have appointed Steven Rum as vice president for development and alumni relations at the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine. Steve, who also has served as senior associate vice president, will continue to jointly report to Mike Eicher, Dean Miller and Ron Peterson, president of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Health System. This change recognizes Steve's considerable expertise and unprecedented success in leading the development and alumni relations efforts for Johns Hopkins Medicine over the past five years.

These promotions are effective immediately and will, I believe, contribute immeasurably to the success of Johns Hopkins for years to come. I am sure that you join me in congratulating Mike, Fritz and Steve.

Sincerely,

Ronald J. Daniels