Lee named VP of Advancement, executive director of SEMO foundation

Trudy Lee has been named vice president of University Advancement and executive director of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation, effective immediately, university president Carlos Vargas announced Wednesday.

Lee began serving in this role as interim following the 2018 retirement of Bill Holland. Her appointment is for a two-year term ending June 30, 2022.

“After carefully considering the future direction of the foundation and consulting with our board of regents, I decided it would be in the best interest of the university to not engage in a search at this time,” Vargas said in the release.

Under Lee’s leadership, the Foundation recently engaged a consulting firm, Grenzebach Glier and Associates (GG+A), to review the human and technological infrastructure in the Division of Advancement. Their report has been received, and several projects have been identified and are currently underway. Completion of most of the projects is expected by 2022, the release stated.

“Trudy is currently reviewing their recommendations, and I believe it would be best for continuity purposes that she oversees these projects successfully to completion,” Vargas said in the release.

In the release, Lee said, “I’m excited to work with President Vargas, the university’s administration, faculty, staff and students to make Southeast Missouri State the best it can be. I’m also honored to work with great team members in the Advancement Division who each bring a great deal of talent and professionalism to our work on behalf of the University and our students.”

Lee plans to retire in 2022, Vargas said in the release.

Lee has served the Foundation since 2001.

“She is a consummate professional who is superbly qualified,” Vargas said in the release. “I value her judgment and expertise, and I look forward to continuing to work with her.”

Lee resides in Cape Girardeau with her husband, Terry. Their family includes son Bryndon and his wife, Chris, and their son, Erik, his wife, Nicole, and their children, Briana and Eliot.