Rick Darnell

Rick has served as a catalyst executive leader for more than three decades, sharing his knowledge and experience overseeing complex capital campaigns and initiatives, managing advancement personnel, working with boards, and executing philanthropic strategic plans. Rick’s broad advancement success has been in higher education, collegiate athletics, family foundations, corporate foundations, health sciences, research medical centers, arts and theatre, community organizations as well as executive coaching Throughout his extensive career as a philanthropic advisor, Rick has helped organizations in a variety of sectors secure over $4.25 billion dollars in new investments. Most recently, Rick has served as a Senior Vice President at the University of Illinois Foundation. Rick is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and Washington University St. Louis. He is currently completing his Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) accreditation.