After a national search, Scott Westerman, longtime telecommunications executive and entrepreneur, has been named Michigan State University's new associate vice president for alumni relations and executive director of the MSU Alumni Association.
Westerman comes to MSU from Albuquerque, NM, where he was an area vice president for Comcast Corp.'s West Division. He spearheaded a public relations turnaround for the company by leveraging social media such as Facebook and Twitter to respond to customer complaints.
Through his 25 plus years of service in the cable television industry, Westerman has extensive expertise in general management, revenue generation, subscription growth, expense control, and strategic alliances. At the same time, he has been an active Spartan advocate throughout his career, serving in multiple leadership roles in MSU Alumni Association regional clubs and on the College of Communication Arts and Sciences Alumni Board.
According to President Lou Anna K. Simon, "The depth and breadth of Scott's experience both as an entrepreneurial businessperson and as an alumni volunteer make him a great addition to Team MSU. I am confident that Scott will continue the strong upward trajectory established by Interim Executive Director Stella Cash, taking our alumni relations endeavors to greater heights."
"We are extremely fortunate to have Scott Westerman join Michigan State University in this important role," said Robert Groves, MSU's vice president for University Advancement. "Not only does he have outstanding executive leadership ability, but he also has a deep passion for MSU and a rich history of involvement with us. He has the operational know-how and the vision to help us focus and build on our success in engaging our alumni."
A Michigan native, Westerman obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in telecommunication from MSU in 1978. In 2001, he was awarded the MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumnus award.
During the past year, Westerman has served as president of the MSU Alumni Association's national alumni board. Together with his wife, Colleen, the Westermans are life members of the MSU Alumni Association and members of the Jonathan A. Snyder Donor Society, having established the Scott and Colleen Westerman Technology Endowment to support MSU.
Westerman's MSU appointment will be effective Jan. 1, 2010. He succeeds Stella Cash, who has served as interim associate vice president for alumni relations and executive director of the MSU Alumni Association for the past two years.