The ISU Foundation recently reorganized its staff, giving several employees promotions and new responsibilities.

The foundation arranges fund raisers and tries to secure gifts from businesses, alumni and other sources.

The growth of the organization and the changing needs of the university prompted ISU Foundation President Thomas Mitchell to reconstruct the staff and promote several employees.

Phyllis Lepke, senior vice president and chief operation officer, said the foundation has “flattened out the hierarchy so that information moves more quickly.”

“We have become more organized by teams,” Lepke said.

She said there are about 85 to 90 people working for the foundation, each in different areas of the university. The new team idea will assist in transmitting information to each employee, Lepke said.

Lepke was promoted from vice president of the foundation to senior vice president and chief operation officer. Her new responsibilities include the daily operations of the organization and managing the departments of human resources, public relations and communications.

“In my new position, I hope to do everything that I can to assist the personnel in reaching our fund-raising goals,” she said.

Robert Watson was the assistant vice president for planned gifts, and his promotion gave him the title of associate vice president for leadership giving.

He is responsible for programs involving the Office of the President and the foundation president, as well as managing donor activities.

“The reorganization will allow us to concentrate on the areas that hold a lot of promise in securing major gifts,” Watson said.

Sarah Buck, now the associate vice president for major and planned giving, was promoted from director of campaign operations.

She is responsible for overseeing the staff and programs in major and planned giving, which includes the operation of “Campaign Destiny: To Become the Best.”

“My goals are to turn the major gift program into the best in the nation,” Buck said.

Other staff members who were promoted include Shaun Keister, who is now the assistant vice president for information services and annual giving. He is responsible for the organization’s database management, records, telemarketing, direct mail and other annual programs.

Carol Patrick, administrative assistant to the foundation president, also was promoted. She formerly served as the assistant director of prospect research.

Aside from the promotions in the foundation, three student positions have been created. Two graduate assistantships have been formed, with Myron Samuels serving as development associate of major and planned giving, and Vince Ellison as the development associate in human resources.

An undergraduate internship also was formed and is being held by J.R. Flynn, junior in marketing.