Two longtime leaders in the Division of Advancement – Vice President Neill Cameron and Associate Vice President Cathy Sams – are stepping down from those positions to help implement a restructuring of the division, focus on critical short-term initiatives and prepare for transition to new leadership. The succession plan was developed by Advancement in 2014 as part of a 3-year strategic plan and is now being implemented in anticipation of pending retirements.
“Neill and Cathy have been invaluable contributors on many of Clemson’s most significant achievements – from the Top 20 drive to the Will to Lead capital campaign. Their work has helped make the Clemson brand stronger than it ever has been,” said President Jim Clements. “I’m glad that they have agreed to remain at Clemson during a transition phase to ensure that we have no loss of momentum for these very successful departments.”
Effective Feb. 8, Brian O’Rourke has been promoted to vice president for development and alumni. A national search will be launched in the near future for the communications and marketing leadership position. The restructuring will create no net new positions.
Cameron came to Clemson in 1999 after retiring from a successful career in international brand marketing and advertising as president of Ogilvy and Mather South, working with top global corporations. He joined his alma mater to help reintroduce the Clemson brand, increase engagement with alumni and donors, enhance Clemson’s national ranking and help champion big ideas. During his tenure, more than $1.4 billion in private funding has been raised, annual fundraising has grown to more than $100 million per year, the alumni network has earned a #1 national ranking, the Walker Course is the 9th raked university golf course in the country and the Conference Center and Inn have been totally renovated. He also teaches marketing in the College of Business and Behavioral Science. According to Cameron, his legacy is “attracting and involving top people in Brand Clemson.”
In the transition, he will focus on ensuring that the capital campaign exceeds its $1 billion goal and continuing to oversee the Advancement departments of related organizations, historic properties and visitor services until they are properly transitioned over the next few months.
Sams joined Clemson in 1981 as a media relations officer and progressed through the ranks, becoming Chief Public Affairs Officer and Advancement associate vice president in 1993 and assuming additional responsibilities as assistant to the president for communications in 2003. Under her leadership, the communications group developed the university’s current brand architecture, helped shepherd Clemson into the world of digital and social media, played a key role in record demand for Clemson in all areas, and earned numerous national awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the University and College Design Association. She is a frequent speaker at professional conferences on topics such as crisis communication, academic brand development, digital communications and communications leadership.
Sams will focus on special communications projects, such as support for the ClemsonForward strategic plan, and assist with the transition of Public Affairs into a division of marketing and communications. In the interim, oversight of the departments of media relations, creative services and marketing services will be handled by Chief of Staff Max Allen.
“I want to personally thank Neill and Cathy for the incredible job they have done providing leadership to Clemson for many years. I also want to thank them for their willingness to help me in the coming months as we prepare a very successful division for Clemson Forward,” Clements said.
