Ellie Yearns and Ira Ross Appointed to Positions in Advancement
Ellie Yearns has been appointed associate regional director of philanthropy and Ira Ross ’61 has been named special consultant for gift planning in the Office of Advancement.
Yearns succeeds Nicole Witten in the major gift fundraising position and Ross is working with the College on a contracted basis. Guilford is in the midst of a $60 million Advancing Excellence comprehensive campaign.
Yearns served as associate director of annual giving for parent relations at Guilford the past two years and assistant director of Guilford Annual Funds from 2006-09. In her new role she will identify, cultivate and solicit individual prospects for major gifts, working within a specified regional territory.
As associate director of annual giving for parent relations, Yearns managed the College’s parent program including cultivation of gifts, organization of Family Weekend and coordination of Family Leadership Council. As assistant director of Guilford Annual Funds, she directed the student calling program, developed the senior class gift program and managed targeted direct mail campaigns.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English communications from Greensboro College in 2005.
Ross, who had a long career in the financial services industry, will initiate contact with alumni with the purpose of discussing planned and deferred giving opportunities that are mutually beneficial to the College and its donors.
He was employed 28 years with Dean Witter/Morgan Stanley Company and retired as executive director and lead portfolio manager of a value equity team.
A resident of Rumson, N.J., Ross earned a degree in economics and business administration from Guilford and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Nebraska.
