Riverside, Calif., October, 2000-- Bruce Peifer, currently Executive Director of Advancement and Development at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, has accepted the invitation of La Sierra University to become its next Vice President for Advancement, responsible for development, alumni relations, and public relations.

Mr. Peifer, a 1979 La Sierra University alumnus, served LSU's Health, Exercise Science, and Athletics Department in the early 90s as athletic director and director of intramural and club sport. He became the founding director of the Drayson Center at Loma Linda University, and for a time, chaired Oakwood College's physical education department. In all of these locations, he has been active in advancement and development-related activities.

In recommending Peifer to administration as their top candidate, the search committee noted his successful experience, his personality which is ideally suited for the position, and how well he did in his committee interviews. They said he is "both student-focused and faculty-focused, and is a team player both within the advancement team and within the institution as a whole. He is innovative, an idea person, active in the community, and a phenomenally hard worker. He approaches advancement as a university-wide endeavor and sees its pervasiveness on every level (such as the importance of developing student scholarships and meeting with every department from grounds to administration to learn of needs and help them implement fundraising projects)."

LSU President Lawrence T. Geraty says, "LSU looks forward to the return of one of its successful alumni to head up the advancement team. At this particular stage in the University's development, it is especially crucial that we have someone of Mr. Peifer's experience, temperament, and gifts to help us move to the next stage of achievement. I want to thank the VPA search committee for their diligent and conscientious work in the University's behalf. Chaired by Jill Rasmussen, the committee's members were Gary Bradley, Elsie Chan, Gene Edelbach, Amy Esposito, Maurice Hodgen, and Candace Jorgensen. I also wish to apologize to them if I breeched confidentiality in sharing the news of their recommendations with the Faculty Senate on October 6."

Mr. Peifer will be making his first visit to the campus, since accepting this new responsibility, during November 14-17, 2000--a period coinciding with the University's Constituency and Board Meetings. He will begin his work here on a permanent basis on December 14, 2000, at the conclusion of the current semester at Oakwood College. Because Mrs. Joy Peifer is on the Oakwood faculty, she and the children will complete the academic year there, and the whole family will then be able to make their home in Riverside starting the end of April, 2001.

Dr. Maynard Lowry, Director of Development for Corporate and Foundation Relations, has been asked by administration, in consultation with the advancement personnel, to serve as Interim VP for Advancement until Mr. Peifer arrives in December.