ISU Foundation Names New President

The ISU Foundation's board of directors has named Roger Neuhaus, the current senior vice president for development and university campaigns at the University of Arizona Foundation, as its new president.

The former president, Dan Saftig, stepped down in March after ISU's current president Steven Leath was named.

A press release on Tuesday's announcement follows below:

ISU Foundation names new president

AMES, Iowa – Roger J. Neuhaus has been named president of the Iowa State University Foundation. Neuhaus is currently senior vice president for development and university campaigns at the University of Arizona Foundation.

“I am humbled by the confidence placed in me by the ISU Foundation board of directors and President Leath,” Neuhaus said. “The opportunity to assume leadership of a very reputable and well managed organization like the ISU Foundation is not common in the world of fundraising. I will do so with integrity and great care, placing the interests of our donors and all whom we serve at the center of our core daily activities.”

The foundation’s board of directors approved Neuhaus’ appointment. “Roger encompasses all of the skills we were seeking. We are very pleased to welcome Roger and his family back to Iowa.” said Marla Franklin, ISU Foundation board chair. “I’d like to extend my appreciation to those who served on the search committee for identifying two very strong final candidates.”

In his capacity as senior vice president for development and university campaigns at the University of Arizona Foundation, he is the senior executive with responsibility for all major gift fundraising as well as capital campaign planning, management and execution. In his four years at Arizona, the UA Foundation reported private gifts in excess of $600 million, including a record year of $181 million last year.

Prior to joining the University of Arizona Foundation, Neuhaus served in fundraising positions at Verde Valley Medical Center, northern Arizona; The Finley Hospital and Loras College, both in Dubuque, Iowa; and Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill., where he also served as assistant director of the alumni association for six years.

“Roger’s many years of fundraising experience will make him a valuable asset to the ISU Foundation,” said Dr. Steven Leath, Iowa State University president. “I look forward to working with him and the rest of the foundation staff as they continue to support Iowa State’s priorities.”

Labh Hira, who served as dean of the ISU College of Business for more than 10 years, has been leading the ISU Foundation in the interim while the search was being conducted. “We are so grateful for all that Labh has done for Iowa State University,” said Leath. “We are indebted to Labh, both for his outstanding work and service to the university as a faculty member and dean of the college of business, but also for the past several months as the interim president of the foundation.” 

Neuhaus will begin work at the ISU Foundation on January 23. He will spend the next few weeks focusing on the transition from his responsibilities in Arizona, and looks forward to meeting people and acclimating to Ames once he arrives in Iowa. Neuhaus and his wife Theresa are both native Iowans, having grown up in Dubuque. They have two adult children, Aaron and Travis.