Vice president leaves for position at Vancouver Foundation

Faye Wightman, vice president external relations, is leaving the university at the end of June to become the president and CEO of the Lower Mainland-based Vancouver Foundation.

President David Turpin made the announcement on April 1 in a letter to the president’s advisory council. “On behalf of the university community, I want to thank Faye for her outstanding leadership and substantial contributions to UVic and to wish her all the best in her new position,” he says.

Since starting at UVic in 2003, Wightman has created a government relations office and a new university ceremonies and events unit, launched an institution-wide strategic communications planning process that is entering its final stages, overseen a re-organization and strengthening of the university’s development operation, and completed a strategic planning project that has integrated the advancement, alumni, community relations, communications, and development services of the division of external relations.

Wightman has also forged stronger ties between the university and communities both in and outside Greater Victoria. Since her arrival on campus, UVic has raised $38 million, including $10 million for addictions research and $5 million for the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning.

“I have enjoyed working at the university with its incredible staff, faculty and board. This is a jewel of an institution and I look forward to hearing about the great things it will continue to accomplish,” says Wightman. “I want to acknowledge and thank the external relations team for allowing me the privilege of working with them over the past two years. They are a strong and dedicated team of individuals.”
Turpin will be moving quickly to initiate a search for Wightman’s replacement. As The Ring went to press, an acting vice president to assume the position as of July 1 had not yet been identified.

Wightman came to UVic after 14 years as president of the B.C’s Children’s Hospital Foundation. The Vancouver Foundation, Canada’s largest philanthropic community foundation, administers $564 million in endowed funds, distributing more than $30 million to charitable groups and organizations each year to enhance the quality of life in B.C.