UNLV’s chief fundraiser Gallagher calls it quits

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006 | 7:04 a.m.

With two years remaining in UNLV's $500 million capital campaign - its most ambitious - chief fundraiser John Gallagher is quitting.

In an e-mail to his staff Tuesday, Gallagher said he plans to take time off with his family and then start a consulting firm to help nonprofit groups. He could not be reached for comment, and told a UNLV spokesman he wouldn't take calls from the media.

As vice president of development and executive director of the private UNLV Foundation for 11 years, Gallagher had endured criticism recently from regents and community members, but enjoyed the support of UNLV President David Ashley and foundation trustees.

"It was totally his decision, and I am going to miss him," Ashley said.

The Sun reported in September that UNLV officials were exaggerating the amount of money raised, principally by including bequests that will not benefit UNLV until after the donors die, and was lagging in landing large donations.

Gallagher was also criticized by regents in August for not forwarding information to them about an orthodontics company that might have affected their decision to enter a business partnership with the company. The firm later was unable to execute its part of the contract, leaving UNLV officials scrambling to make up the loss of $40 million in anticipated revenue.

Gallagher was instrumental in the creation and initial oversight of the UNLV Research Foundation. It came under scrutiny this summer after a Sun article showed the foundation's Institute for Security Studies had received $8.9 million in federal money without fulfilling much of its intended mission. UNLV has since restructured the Research Foundation and hired new directors.

Ashley is reorganizing some of his top administrators, which would have brought Gallagher and the foundation under a new vice president for advancement.

In his e-mail to staff and his resignation letter to Ashley, Gallagher praises his own fundraising record, having brought in $318 million in cash gifts during his tenure at the university.

"It has been my good fortune to work with a truly talented and wonderfully committed staff during my 11-plus years at UNLV," Gallagher wrote.

He submitted his resignation Nov. 18 but told staff of the decision Tuesday because Ashley had been in Europe.

Gallagher is one of at least 11 foundation staff members to have resigned this year.

His last official day is Jan. 2, but he leaves for vacation Dec. 1.

Ashley appointed Nancy Strouse, senior associate vice president for development, as interim director.