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Month: August 2024

Nicolas Karagosian, MBA, CFRE, former president and CEO of the Ohio University Foundation and vice president of university advancement, has been named president and CEO of the Marshall University Foundation, Inc., and senior vice president for development for Marshall University, Nancy E. Campbell, chair of the Foundation’s board of directors, has announced.

Karagosian replaces Dr. Ronald G. Area, who has served as CEO since July 2007.

“I am so pleased that Nico has agreed to join the Marshall family,” Area said. “His skill set, experiences and abilities will lead the Foundation to new heights.” Karagosian and his wife of 25 years, Staci, a former elementary school teacher, have five children.

Campbell said she is thrilled to announce the appointment of Karagosian. Karagosian will officially assume his role on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.

“Following an extensive national search, the Foundation’s board of directors is confident that Karagosian is the ideal candidate to lead the organization,” Campbell said. “With his impressive background and commitment to philanthropy, we believe he will drive the Foundation’s mission forward. I am excited to work alongside Nico. His expertise and vision will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to support Marshall University and its students.”

Karagosian’s transition will be facilitated by Area, who has been instrumental in the Foundation’s success. Together, they will ensure a seamless and positive experience for all stakeholders.

Marshall President Brad D. Smith said, “I am thrilled to welcome Nico Karagosian and his family to Marshall University and the Huntington community. His proven track record of success and his unwavering dedication to advancing the strategic outcomes for educational institutions will be invaluable as Marshall continues our transformational journey in service to our strategic roadmap – Marshall For All, Marshall Forever!

Karagosian is joining our campus community at an exciting time and will be building on the strong foundation that Dr. Ron Area has architected during his 17 years of leadership. I want to extend our deepest gratitude to Ron for his many years of exceptional service and significant impact. He has led by example, winning hearts and cultivating support in ways that have positioned Marshall for an even stronger future. We look forward to continuing this legacy of excellence with Nico at the helm.

Please join me in thanking Ron and Beth Area for their friendship, stewardship and impact as we extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to Nico and his family to the Marshall team!”

“Staci and I are looking forward to working with some of the most dedicated, loyal and passionate alumni, donors, fans and friends in the nation,” Karagosian said. “We have followed and admired Marshall for many years and are honored to now be part of the Thundering Herd family and Huntington community. Thank you to Chair Nancy Campbell, the Marshall University Foundation board of directors, and Marshall University President Brad Smith for this incredible opportunity, and to Ron Area for his amazing work over the last 17 years in support of Marshall.”

Karagosian earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from Hobart College in Geneva, New York, and his MBA and Master of Science from SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, New York.  Additionally, Karagosian earned his Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification from CFRE International in 2009. He has more than 25 years of fundraising experience, including the last 12 at three R1 Carnegie Classified public universities.

He was the senior director of development at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, from 2012-2014, serving as chief development officer for the largest college on the university’s campus. He then moved on to the University of Cincinnati Foundation from 2014-2018, where he held progressively responsible senior leadership roles culminating as the vice president of advancement and executive director of the University of Cincinnati Bicentennial.

From 2018 through 2024, he served as president and CEO of the Ohio University Foundation and vice president of university advancement. While at Ohio, Karagosian led a team of 80 in their efforts to launch the largest comprehensive campaign in the university’s history. He also increased annual fundraising by more than $15 million per year, grew alumni engagement by more than 400%, and oversaw an endowment with more than $1 billion in total assets under management. Under his leadership, the Foundation earned GuideStar’s Platinum designation for transparency for four years in a row, was rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator in 2022 and 2023 and earned multiple awards and recognitions from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

The Marshall University Foundation has announced the establishment of the Prentiss Lee Faulconer Jr. Endowed Scholarship for Accountancy and Legal Environment. This scholarship was generously endowed by Diane Ramy Faulconer, in honor and memory of her late husband, who passed away in November of 2013.

This gift results in the department being named the Prentiss Lee Faulconer Jr. Department of Accountancy and Legal Environment within the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business housed in the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation.

“Diane’s extraordinary contribution to this scholarship and Marshall’s Department of Accountancy and Legal Environment reflects her deep dedication to education and community progress,” said Brad D. Smith, president of Marshall University. “This generous support will empower future students to thrive and innovate in vital disciplines, leaving an enduring mark on our university and the broader community.”

The scholarship and department create a fundamental opportunity for the future of the College of Business, said Ben Eng, interim dean of the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business.

“Gifts of this magnitude are transformative for our college’s future,” Eng said. “They enable us to expand programs and attract top talent, ensuring that our students receive a world-class education that prepares them to be high-impact leaders in the global marketplace.”

Prentiss Lee Faulconer Jr. graduated from Marshall University’s Lewis College of Business in 1968. Raised in Alexandria, Virginia, he attended the Fork Union Military Academy. Upon graduating high school, he followed in the footsteps of his grandmother and enrolled at Marshall.

After graduating from Marshall with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting with a minor in economics and mathematics, he accepted a position with Ernst and Whinney as a CPA in Miami, Florida. During this time, Faulconer also served as a Staff Sergeant for the U.S. Army National Guard. After two years with Ernst and Whinney, Faulconer was named director of fiscal services for Mount Sinai Medical Center of Greater Miami.

During his 12 years with Mount Sinai Medical Center, Faulconer was responsible for the internal development of the hospital information system, which was marketed by the hospital and Burroughs Corporation, an American medical equipment company. He later served as chief financial officer of North Broward Hospital District, which comprises of five hospitals, and served as vice president of finance for Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, Florida.

Faulconer also developed a software company, Omega Health Care Systems, which provided 40 financial programs for health care facilities. He sold the company in 2002.

Along with his professional pursuits, Faulconer also served on numerous national, state and local committees. He was voted “outstanding speaker” by the Florida Institute of CPAs.

“Lee held a deep appreciation for Marshall for the impact it made on his life,” Ramy Faulconer said. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to honor his memory with this gift toward the College of Business, a gesture that reflects his enduring gratitude for the invaluable experiences and lessons he gained during his time here.”

Faulconer was married to Diane Ramy Faulconer, a graduate of New Britain General Hospital School of Nursing, Central Connecticut State College. She went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science in health sciences and Master of Science in management, both from Florida International University. She is a Certified Nurse Administrator (CNA) and a Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR).

Ramy Faulconer has served at renowned health care facilities including Mount Sinai Hospital Center of Greater Miami and Boca Raton Community Hospital as well as a Senior Executive Consultant at Ernst and Young.

Ramy Faulconer has traveled extensively throughout third world countries, as well as many other areas of the world, and has been honored at both her alma mater, Florida International University and Marshall University for her dedicated philanthropy to the support of students through scholarships not only in health care but in engineering and business in honor of her husband.

Ramy Faulconer currently serves on the Marshall Foundation’s Board of Directors, and in 2016 received the Marshall University College of Health Professions’ Award of Distinction as part of the Marshall University Alumni Association’s annual Alumni Awards Banquet.

“We are grateful to honor Lee’s and Diane’s rich history of giving toward Marshall University and for Diane’s incredible generosity toward this scholarship and recognition of the Department of Accountancy and Legal Environment,” said Ron Area, CEO of the Marshall University Foundation. “We are profoundly indebted to Diane for her remarkable philanthropic efforts toward our university.

The Prentiss Lee Faulconer Jr. Endowed Scholarship for Accountancy and Legal Environment will be made available to junior and senior undergraduate students, as well as graduate students.

In addition to this scholarship, Ramy Faulconer previously funded annual scholarship in her husband’s memory in the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business who are majoring in finance and accounting, the College of Health Professions for students majoring in nursing and the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences.

For information regarding the Prentiss Lee Faulconer Jr. Endowed Scholarship for Accountancy and Legal Environment, please contact Dean’s Office in the College of Business at 304-696-4654.