Working at Belmont Abbey College helped J. Michael Pressimone reach the pinnacle of his career.
As vice president for institutional advancement, he worked as the college’s chief fundraiser.
Networking with alumni to generate donations proved a big part of that. He also led the public relations department.
Pressimone worked at the Abbey from 2003 to late 2005. He said experience gained there will be valuable when he takes on his new job.
Now hitting the high mark of his three-decade career in higher education, he starts work as president of Fontbonne University in St. Louis on July 1. Pressimone worked at Belmont Abbey College during a time of leadership transition.
He said President William Thierfelder had not yet been hired, so he worked with the board of trustees to conduct business. “I got to be very involved in board relations and board development,” Pressimone said. “That’s been a very important skill for me.” About 2,000 students attend the Catholic Fontbonne University. He’s looking forward to a short commute and living in the president’s home on campus.
“At this point in my life, it’s the top point for me. I’m very excited about it,” he said. College fundraising skills made him a formidable candidate for the job. It’s his experience that more colleges now want presidents who network with alumni and community members so that they can help attract donations.
Father of 12: Pressimone, 55, left Belmont Abbey College to take the same job at Alvernia University in Reading, Penn. He’s worked there while earning his doctorate of education degree and masters’ degree from different universities.
He and his wife, Cathy, lived in a 150-year-old home in Mount Holly while he worked at Belmont Abbey. They were only the second owners of the home. They have 12 children, ranging in age from 5 to 30. The Pressimones retain friends in the area and visited Gaston County last June.
You can reach Wade Allen at 704-869-1828 or twitter.com/GazetteWade.