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CORVALLIS - Oregon State University has named an alumni association executive from Arizona to take over the reins of the university's top alumni position.

Jeffrey S. Todd will become the executive director of the OSU Alumni Association and director of the university's Office of Alumni Relations on June 1. Todd has spent the last two years as executive vice president of the University of Arizona Alumni Association after 16 years at his alma mater, The College of Wooster in Ohio.

OSU President Ed Ray called the appointment of Todd critical to involving Oregon State's 100,000-plus alumni with the university.

"Preparing graduates is Oregon State University's most important job and we need to continue to support them after graduation and maintain their involvement with the university," Ray said. "Jeff Todd has shown that he knows what it takes to help all of us do that. Alumni are so important to the ongoing success of a university, from fund-raising to mentorship for students to advocacy in the legislature, and they are even more important to the welfare of the state through their careers and community involvement.

"Maintaining these connections is more important than ever before, especially as we implement our new strategic plan and seek to support that with a capital campaign," he added.

As executive vice president of the University of Arizona's Alumni Association, Todd assisted the association's president in all aspects of developing, staffing, managing and evaluating programs for the organization, which serves more than 200,000 UA alumni. At Arizona he participated in fundraising campaign efforts, worked closely with the association's board of directors, and helped manage the day-to-day activities of the organization.

At The College of Wooster - a national liberal arts and sciences college- Todd served as director of Alumni Relations from 1985 to 2001. During the last five years of his tenure there, he also directed The Wooster Fund, the college's annual campaign for unrestricted gifts.

Before going to Wooster, Todd served as a staff assistant to U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, in the 16th district of Ohio.

Todd serves on the Board of Trustees of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the professional organization for advancement professionals at all levels who work in alumni relations, communications and development. In 2003 the Council of Alumni Association Executives selected Todd as a foreman fellow.

"One of the things that struck us was the diversity of experience he has had already in his career," said Thomas A. "Tad" Davies, an Albany CPA and business leader who serves as president of the OSU Alumni Association. "Jeff understands what it takes to engage alumni, he has been involved in fund-raising, he understands the legislative process, and he knows what it is like to be part of a leadership team."

OSU President Ray said he looks forward to greater collaboration between the university, the Alumni Association and the OSU Foundation.

"The teamwork aspect is critical," Ray agreed. "I'm looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together."

As director of Alumni Relations, Todd will serve as the chief alumni officer for the university and has institutional responsibility for the management of OSU's comprehensive alumni program. He also will be the executive director of the OSU Alumni Association, an independent, not-for-profit corporation formed to promote the university's services and programming for alumni, other former students and friends.

"The OSU Alumni Association has a long history and even greater potential to engage and involve alumni deeply and significantly in the life of the university, and it is evident to me that OSU's leadership, beginning with President Ray, alumni volunteers, and the association staff are all committed to this endeavor," said Todd.

He succeeds Dwayne Foley, who retired last year. Stephen Smith, the associate director of alumni relations, has been interim director.

Todd is a 1983 graduate of The College of Wooster, with a degree in history. He and his wife, Jean, have two daughters.