Campus Conversation with UMF President and CEO John Morris
Thu, Oct 15, 2026, 3pm
UMRA’s second “Campus Conversation” with a University leader will offer UMRA members an exclusive opportunity to meet with John Morris, president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF). The gathering will take place on Thursday, October 15, in the Dale Shephard Room of the Campus Club in Minneapolis, starting at 3 p.m. The focus of the conversation will be the role of the foundation and its relationship to retirees.
Morris brings extensive experience to the role of inspiring major giving, facilitating growth, and cultivating meaningful impact through purposeful philanthropy and gratifying gifting experiences. He honed his leadership vision and approach through his work at several prestigious higher education institutions, including the Texas A&M Foundation, Auburn University, and the Kansas State University Foundation. When Morris became president and CEO of UMF on May 1, 2025, it marked a homecoming; he led the foundation’s regional giving team for four years early in his career.
UMRA participants will have the opportunity to engage in an informal conversation with this key university leader to better understand how UMF plays a vital part in keeping the University healthy. In fiscal year 2025, nearly 90,000 donors collectively gave $464 million to support the University's work. And UMRA members have contributed more than $40 million to the University since the start of its last fundraising campaign, demonstrating the importance of the relationship between the University and its retirees.
Only 40 seats are available, so please register (required) soon on the UMRA Member Portal if you want to attend. UMRA members are welcome to purchase beverages and light snacks from the Campus Club Bar to enjoy during the meeting with Morris, and/or to linger in the bar afterwards.
—Peggy Mann Rinehart
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