Hilbert College’s Gregg Fort Named

Hartwick’s VP, College Advancement

ONEONTA — Gregg Fort has been named vice president/college advancement at Hartwick College, President Margaret L. Drugovich announced today.  The appointment, effective Jan. 12, concludes a six-month national search after Fort’s predecessor, Jim Broschart, joined SUNY Binghamton on July 1 as vice president for advancement.

Fort joins Hartwick following a position as vice president for Institutional Advancement at Hilbert College in Hamburg, outside Buffalo. As a member of Hilbert’s senior leadership team, Fort was responsible for overseeing all aspects of development, alumni engagement, and college and government relations. During his time at Hilbert, Fort made significant changes in divisional structure, operational practices, and strategic engagement objectives, positioning the college to maximize its fundraising and engagement potential.

Working with development staff, Fort created metrics for monitoring program effectiveness, and under his leadership Hilbert saw a doubling of new gifts and commitments to the college and an increase in alumni giving from 6.6 percent in Fiscal Year 2012 to more than 13.0 percent in Fiscal Year 2014.

“Gregg will fill an important role in Hartwick’s senior leadership team,” said Drugovich. “Gregg has exceptional experience in advancement and will bring enthusiasm, a forward-thinking orientation, and creativity to our work together. His energetic leadership will help to focus our fundraising efforts as we complete our transformative Campaign for Hartwick Students.”

From 2007 to 2012, Fort was at DePaul University in Chicago, where he developed comprehensive initiatives that were instrumental in securing more than $20 million in funding to support the university’s $250 million comprehensive capital campaign. At DePaul, Fort supervised corporate relations, central major giving, and strategic planning for the Office of Advancement, DePaul’s President’s Club, and the division’s prospect development initiative.

Fort joined DePaul after serving as the executive director of the Big Red Fund at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC). During his time at UIC, Fort increased athletic giving by more than 70 percent, served as the UIC athletic liaison to the Chicago 2016 Olympic Committee and coordinated both the UIC Pavilion and Les Miller Baseball Field upgrade and expansion projects.

“I’m honored to join such a respected and growing institution,” said Fort. “Under President Drugovich’s leadership, Hartwick is poised for increased visibility and distinction. I’m eager to support the faculty, students, staff, and alumni who make Hartwick an extremely special place. I am looking forward to building on the momentum that is evident at Hartwick, advancing the institution’s mission and fostering a deeper level of engagement.”

Fort’s experience also includes three years as the associate athletic director for external affairs at Florida International University in Miami and almost a decade at Stephen F. Austin (SFA) State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. During this time at SFA, Fort served as the associate athletic director and coordinated the institution’s first comprehensive capital campaign as the director of the $37 million Share the Legacy Campaign.

A 1987 graduate of Austin College in Sherman, Texas, Fort served four years as the sports information director as a student and recently served a three-year term on the Austin College Alumni Board.

Fort is active in the community and currently serves as a trustee for the Irish Classical Theatre Company and is a member of the Rotary Club of Buffalo. He is married to Colgate University women’s basketball coach Nicci Hays.