ECU names institutional advancement leader

Charles D. Phlegar of Charlotte, a development and marketing executive, has joined East Carolina University as the associate vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement. His appointment is effective Feb. 1.

He succeeds David B. McDonald who left ECU in November to become the vice president at Converse College.

Before accepting the ECU position, Phlegar was an executive for Ketchum Inc. of Pittsburgh, a national consulting firm for marketing and fund raising projects. He joined Ketchum in 1987 as a campaign director for the company’s southeast regional office in Charlotte. He was appointed the managing director of the office in 1990 and vice president last year.

In his new position at ECU, Phlegar will help direct efforts to increase funding for academic programs, scholarships and to enhance campus facilities. Among these efforts is a major campaign to attract gifts from corporate and private donors. Plans for the campaign will be announced later this spring.

“Charlie’s reputation in the development field is excellent,” said James L. Lanier, ECU vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement.

Lanier noted that Phlegar has worked in diverse leadership roles and made significant contributions to the development efforts at nine universities and colleges. “His background and experience as a development consultant and his success in communicating with senior level university and corporate leadership will be a major asset to ECU,” Lanier said.

In his previous position Phlegar directed his company’s regional marketing program and managed accounts in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. He supervised a staff of up to 20 campaign directors.

He has personally directed capital campaigns that raised $4.5 million for the Stanly County YMCA in Albemarle, N.C.; $5.3 million at Memphis University; and $25 million at Winston-Salem State University. He has played key roles in a total of 35 capital campaigns with combined goals of $750 million.

Before joining the Ketchum firm, he held positions as the assistant director of the Alumni and the Athletic Associations at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Phlegar is a graduate of the school where received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business management and marketing.