Len Jessup appointed as president of Foundation

PULLMAN — Len Jessup, who was named acting president of the Washington State University Foundation and acting vice president for university development in March, has been appointed to those roles on a permanent basis.

WSU President V. Lane Rawlins made the announcement Friday (May 27) at the foundation’s spring board meeting in Walla Walla.

“We are very fortunate to have, within our own midst, what I consider to be the perfect choice for the vice presidency of development. Len has shown ability to lead, inspire and create, and he already has a good working relationship with many of our major donors,” Rawlins said.

“In the past few weeks he has exceeded all of my expectations in the interim role, and I am delighted that he has accepted our offer to make this a permanent assignment. I am confident that he will take us to new heights.”

Jessup succeeds Richard Frisch, who left WSU earlier this year to become vice president for university advancement at Boise State University. Jessup has served as dean of WSU’s College of Business and Economics since July 2002.

“I am honored by the opportunity to serve the university in this capacity, and I look forward to continuing to work with the strong base of volunteers and staff at the foundation,” Jessup said. “One of the most critical challenges for WSU right now and in the coming decade is to increase our base of private support. If WSU is going to get to where we want it to be, that critical piece has to be in place.”

Gifts and private grants to the foundation for 2003-04 totaled $44,780,138. The foundation’s endowment finished the year at $204.6 million, an increase of nearly $13 million over the previous year’s total.

Mikal Thomsen, chair of the WSU Foundation Board of Governors, said, “Len’s leadership skills, extensive development experience and professionalism make him a spectacular choice to lead the WSU Foundation. I look forward to working with Len on a permanent basis as we position the WSU Foundation for continued success in the future.”

Jessup earned a doctorate in management and organizational behavior, with a minor in management information systems, from the University of Arizona-Tucson in 1989. He earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA degree from California State University-Chico.

Prior to coming to WSU as coordinator of the management information systems program in 2000, Jessup was a tenured faculty member in the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

In the wake of Jessup’s move to the foundation earlier this year, Eric Spangenberg was promoted to the position of senior associate dean of the College of Business and Economics, to provide leadership and oversee the day-to-day operations of the college.