David R. Lepper is Newest Addition to Jefferson Executive Team

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After an extensive national search, David R. Lepper has been named senior vice president for Development for Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University. He will assume his new position on February 1, 2006.

Mr. Lepper brings more than 27 years of fundraising experience to Jefferson. He was most recently at Wayne State University School of Medicine—the third-largest medical school in the United States—where he was Executive Director, Development and Alumni Affairs. In that role he managed and coordinated a $115 million campaign for the institution. Additionally, his responsibilities included the coordination of fundraising activities with the Detroit Medical Center, Karmanos Cancer Institute and the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. He increased annual contributions by more than 60 percent in just over two years through the implementation of innovative fundraising programs.

Before joining Wayne State in December 2002, Mr. Lepper served as Chief Development Officer for Focus: Hope, a Detroit-based not-for-profit civil and human rights organization. There he coordinated all development activities, including the managing and completion of a $75 million campaign for program funding, capital projects, debt reduction and capitalizing a student loan program. Prior to that, he planned, led and completed a $100 million capital campaign for the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit.

Mr. Lepper began his fundraising career at the United Way in Detroit where he ultimately served as Campaign Director. Over the years, his efforts pushed the United Way's Detroit campaign to over $60 million annually.

A graduate of Central Michigan University, he received a bachelor of arts degree in journalism in 1975.

Thomas Jefferson University is composed of four operating divisions: Jefferson Medical College, the Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, the Jefferson College of Health Professions and the University Services Division.  Thomas Jefferson University is the academic partner of the Jefferson Health System.

Jefferson University Hospital is one of only a few hospitals in the United States that is both a Level I Trauma Center and a federally designated regional spinal cord injury center. The Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson is designated as a clinical cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. Over the years, U.S.News and World Report has consistently ranked many of Jefferson's services as among the best in the nation. These include cardiology/cardiac surgery, orthopaedics, rehabilitation, cancer, digestive disorders (gastroenterology), geriatrics, gynecology, neurology and neurosurgery, which are both based at the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, otolaryngology - head and neck surgery, and urology.