Drury selects Sellars

Non SBJ Author

Posted online May 22, 2005 | 11:00 pm

New Drury President John Sellars, who also was one of three finalists for the president’s job at Southwest Missouri State University, comes to the Ozarks from Syracuse University, where he is senior vice president for institutional advancement. He is known for his fund-raising skills.

Over the last three years at Syracuse, donations increased from $45 million a year to $83 million a year. Sellars also led the planning for a $1 billion fund-raising campaign.

“What impressed the committee … was his scholarly research on the qualities of successful private universities, combined with a track record as a successful leader who sets ambitious goals and meets them,” said John Beuerlein, chair of Drury’s presidential search committee.

Sellars, who holds a Ph.D. in public administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia, succeeds John E. Moore Jr., who retires May 31 after 22 years at the helm. During his tenure, Moore built Drury’s endowment to $74 million.