Scott M. Roberts Chosen as President and CEO of the UConn Foundation
With more than 15 years of experience in development and alumni engagement, Roberts brings to UConn a commitment to strengthening relationships.
The UConn Foundation has named Scott M. Roberts as president and CEO, effective May 28. Roberts is currently the vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement and president of the UNLV Foundation at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Roberts replaces John Fodor ’85 (CLAS), who has served as interim president and CEO since August 2018. The search committee was chaired by Craig Ashmore ’85 (ENGR), chair of the UConn Foundation Board’s Nominating & Board Governance Committee.
As the chief advancement officer and a member of the president’s leadership team at UNLV, Roberts led a team of 90 staff members in development and alumni engagement and had oversight of $280 million in funding through the UNLV Foundation. Under his leadership, the UNLV Foundation set an all-time annual fundraising record of $93 million in fiscal year 2017 and was honored by the Council of Advancement and Support for Education (CASE) for overall performance and overall improvement in fundraising activity in 2018.
“We are excited to have Scott Roberts join the UConn Foundation,” said Ashmore. “Scott is an outstanding and proven leader who will build on the strengths of a demonstrated and accomplished team.”
Current UConn President Susan Herbst and incoming President Tom Katsouleas, who will begin his tenure on August 1, were also involved in the interview process.
“Scott is an outstanding choice with a proven track record of effective alumni engagement, substantial fundraising success, and building key relationships at every level,” Herbst said. “He was very much a stand-out candidate who articulated a clear and compelling vision for the future of philanthropy at UConn and a roadmap for getting there. The Foundation will be in good hands as it continues to grow and thrive on behalf of our university.”
“I was very impressed with Scott’s energy and formidable analytical skills,” Katsouleas said. “He is personable, enthusiastic, and a very strategic thinker who will be highly effective across the board, including one-on-one with donors and in leading a large and complex organization. In Scott, UConn snapped up a rising star in the field of higher education philanthropy before he could be recruited elsewhere. Scott is an ideal choice to lead the UConn Foundation forward, and I am excited to work closely with him and his team.”
Scott Roberts has spent a total of nine years at UNLV, first as the associate vice president for development before being named vice president and Foundation president. During his tenure, UNLV raised more than $500 million and saw a 56 percent increase in the number of gifts and a 51 percent increase in donors. Before arriving at UNLV, he served as director of university development at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, where he directed a $120 million comprehensive capital campaign.
“Scott has demonstrated that he can raise money,” said John Malfettone ’77 (BUS), chair of the UConn Foundation’s Board of Directors. “But he is more than a development person. He has been a student of best practices, many of which he has applied to improve processes at UNLV.”
“I want to thank the UConn Foundation for this opportunity,” said Roberts. “When I first set foot on the UConn campus, I knew it was a special place. The Foundation plays a critical role in the future success of the University and the availability of resources to fulfill its mission. I am honored to lead that effort. I look forward to working with the Foundation team, University leadership, and the Foundation Board to help take UConn to the next level.”
Throughout his career, Roberts has been involved with numerous nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. He currently sits on the Blackbaud Higher Education Executive Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Foundation. He has also sat on the CASE District VII Board of Directors and is a member of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the College of the Ozarks (Missouri) and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Coach Kevin Ollie knows how to motivate. Phrases such as “Ten toes in, not five” or “We take the stairs, escalators are for cowards” highlight how his teams need to be fully committed and dedicated.
