Western Colorado University Retains AGB Search for Senior Assignment

June 17, 2025 – Washington, D.C.-based recruitment firm AGB Search, which specializes in higher education leadership assignments, has been selected by Western Colorado University to lead in its search for vice president of advancement and executive director of the WCU Foundation. This unique opportunity allows a seasoned advancement executive to build on the momentum created from the highly successful Elevate Western Campaign. Kimberly Templeton and Andrew Bowen are leading the assignment.

Reporting directly to the president, this executive is responsible for designing and implementing comprehensive institutional advancement programs and activities to significantly increase constituent involvement and fundraising outcomes. The position is responsible for annual fundraising, corporate and foundation relations, major and planned gifts, gift/fund management, capital and comprehensive campaigns, alumni and constituent relations, scholarship management, donor stewardship, and advancement services as well as providing leadership to the foundation board of director and oversight of the foundation’s operations.

The successful applicant will have a proven track record in securing significant funding from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government sources, according to AGB. They will also demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and considerable management experience, either within an advancement shop or a similarly sized and complex organization. Candidates must uphold the highest standards of integrity and ethics while demonstrating exceptional interpersonal skills, communication, and collaboration.

Western Colorado University is a public university in Gunnison, CO. It enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and 450 graduate students with 25 percent coming from out of state. Western offers more than 100 undergraduate areas of study and seven graduate programs, five of which are available as accelerated degree programs.

AGB Search conducts searches for college and university presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, university system heads, and CEOs of coordinating boards and related foundations. The firm was founded by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) in 2010.

Experienced Search Consultants

Ms. Templeton, principal, has more than 25 years of experience as an search professional in the higher education, non-profit, and legal sectors; senior advancement leader; and corporate attorney. She partners with public research universities, regional comprehensive universities, private universities, liberal arts colleges, and academic medical centers to identify institutional and senior leaders, including presidents/chancellors, general counsels, VPs for research, VPs for advancement and presidents of institutionally related foundations, VPs for health affairs, VPs for business and finance, and school and center directors, among others.

Ms. Templeton’s representative searches include:

• President, University of Nebraska.
• President, Ramapo College.
• Executive vice president, Knowledge Enterprise, Arizona State University.
• Targeted research center leadership recruitments, Arizona State University.
• Vice president for research and economic development, Boise State University.
• Senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, University of Nebraska at Kearney.
• Vice president for legal affairs and general counsel, University of Iowa.
• Vice president and general counsel, University of Central Florida.
• General counsel, Maricopa County Community College District.
• Vice chancellor for business, finance and business development, University of Nebraska Medical Center.
• Vice president for health affairs and dean, school of medicine, University of South Dakota.

Mr. Bowen joined AGB Search in August 2020 bringing with him a variety of experience in higher education. He has experience supporting an array of public and private universities, with particular emphasis on president, provost, CFO, audit/compliance, development, student affairs and communications/marketing searches.

• California State University, Sacramento – President.
• San Jose State University – President.
• Elon University – Provost and vice president for academic affairs.
• Colorado State University – Vice president for university operations and chief financial officer.
• Yale University – Executive director, internal audit.
• Washington University in St. Louis – Executive director of compliance and audit.
• Johns Hopkins University – Chief development officer, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
• University of Colorado System – Executive director of gift planning and gift administration.
• The University of Vermont – Vice president of marketing and chief communications officer.
• Cornell University – Assistant dean for communications and marketing, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Related: AGB Search Recruits 22nd President for Seton Hall University

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media