Ford, Shell, promoted to new development roles

By Ray Delgado

Vice President for Development John Ford has been promoted to the newly created position of senior vice president for university resources, President John Hennessy announced on Thursday, March 3. Martin Shell, associate vice president for development, was tapped by Hennessy to succeed Ford as vice president for development. The changes will be effective April 4.

In his new role, Ford will direct the planning and execution of fundraising initiatives vital to the university's future.

"John Ford's new position recognizes the need to have a senior and highly experienced leader totally focused on the broad and enduring needs of the university," Hennessy said. "John's broad service to Stanford for more than 27 years makes him uniquely qualified to take on this role. As senior vice president, John will focus on topics and issues I deem important to the university's long-term future."

Shell will assume day-to-day responsibility of the university's development activities and will report to Hennessy. Hennessy said Shell will work closely with the provost and the deans to set the development agenda, deploy development resources, establish development goals and oversee development operations across the university.

"With the ongoing success of the Campaign for Undergraduate Education, Martin can now focus on how to organize and deploy the resources necessary to ensure Stanford's continued leadership in higher education," Hennessy said. "In recent years, Martin has demonstrated, first at the Law School and now as associate vice president for development, that he has the talents to lead the Office of Development."

Shell assumed the position of associate vice president in January 2003 after serving as senior associate dean for external relations and chief operating officer at the Law School. He joined Stanford in 1998 and has been a development officer for more than 20 years, serving institutions of higher education in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and California. He also served as an executive with a public utility company, press secretary to a U.S. representative and as a newspaper reporter.

Ford began his development career at California Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago before returning in 1977 to his alma mater to head the major gifts program at the Stanford Medical Center. He served as director of medical development from 1980 to 1986.

In 1986, Ford moved to the university's development office, where he was responsible for large gift activities during the initial phase of Stanford's $1.1 billion Centennial Campaign. He became vice president for development in 1988, and during his tenure annual gift income has increased from $189 million in 1988 to $524 million in 2004. Ford is the 2001 recipient of the Cuthbertson Award recognizing exceptional service to Stanford University.

Editor Note:

EDITOR'S NOTE: The previous version of this release listed the wrong announcement date. The announcement was made on Thursday, March 3.

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