| University of Florida Foundation, Inc. | |
| Christopher Brazda | 352-392-1633 |
| Public Relations | 100 NW 20th St |
| cbrazda@uff.ufl.edu | Gainesville, FL 32603 |
| For immediate release | Wednesday, April 26, 2006 |
STEERING COUNCIL SET TO GUIDE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida’s Campaign Steering Council has been named to prepare for a major fundraising campaign that will help the university become one of the nation’s premier institutions of higher learning, university President Bernie Machen announced.
The nine-member council serves as a primary leadership body and participates in planning and policymaking for the campaign.
“These are people with long documented support of the University of Florida and who are also key figures in their communities. They will lead the charge for the campaign, and both encourage and motivate others to become involved,” Machen said.
Jacksonville banking executive Beth McCague and Coral Gables businessman Earl Powell are council co-chairs. McCague is managing director of wealth management for Wachovia-Jacksonville. Powell is chairman, CEO and co-founder of Trivest Partners. Other members are Jerry Davis of Jacksonville, Gary Gerson of Miami, Allen Lastinger of St. Augustine, Joan Ruffier of Orlando, Jon and Beverly Thompson of Sanibel, and Ward Wagner of Palm Beach. It’s anticipated that other volunteers will be added to the steering council as the campaign progresses.
The council will meet two or three times each year throughout the campaign, which is expected to run through 2012.
This is the University of Florida’s third capital campaign in its 153-year history. The previous campaign, which concluded in 2000, raised more than $850 million in support of the university’s threefold mission of education, research and service. The purpose of the new campaign is to provide funding for the programs and initiatives that will help the University of Florida achieve its potential as one of the top universities in the world
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