Dr. John Tiede has been appointed interim vice president of development and director of the Missouri Southern Foundation.
Dr. John Tiede
Tiede’s appointment follows the departure of JoAnn Graffam, who left the position in December 2014.
“We are very grateful for JoAnn’s faithful service and wish her the best as she pursues new opportunities,” said Dr. Alan Marble, president of Missouri Southern. “And, we are delighted to welcome back John Tiede as we work with the Foundation to identify the best candidate to fill the permanent role.”
Tiede’s history with the university dates back to 1968, when he became a member of the business department faculty. He served as assistant to the president under Dr. Donald Darnton, the second president of Missouri Southern; as dean of the School of Business; as vice president for business affairs; and as a senior vice president before retiring in 2001. Following his retirement, he returned to serve the Foundation as director of major gifts and planned giving, and later as interim director before the hiring of former director Mark Parsons.
“The Foundation’s Board of Directors is solidly behind Dr. Tiede in his interim appointment to this important leadership position,” said Mike Pence, board president. “We are happy to have him back on our team.”
Tiede said he has two primary goals for this transition period.
“No. 1 is to try to enhance the coordination of our fundraising activities across campus,” he said. “And No. 2 is to try and provide some goals and objectives for the staff for their particular fundraising activities.”
The opportunity to return to the university to serve in the interim capacity is a welcome one, said Tiede.
“I put most of my life in here,” he said. “Anything I can do to advance the cause of Southern is something I’m always happy to do.”