SVSU Hires New Development VP

Saginaw Valley State University has hired a new vice president for development, following a national search.

Brian Brunner comes to the university from Lindenwood University in Missouri, where he has served as the assistant vice president for advancement for the past four years. At Lindenwood, Brunner was a leader in helping the private institution raise more than $5 million each of the past four years, surpassing its annual fundraising goal on each occasion. He introduced the university’s first-ever “giving week” campaign, and he collaborated with Lindenwood’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion to establish a student emergency and equity fund.

A native of Wisconsin, Brunner played quarterback for the Central Michigan University football team and then worked in fundraising for CMU Athletics from 2010-2014. He accepted a position as assistant athletic director at South Dakota State University where he increased annual giving for athletics by 77 percent.

Brunner will begin his duties at SVSU on August 19.