Changing of the guard

Adam Gerdts (BA ’00, MBA ’14) is headed back to New York for the next step in his career and another double Tar Heel – Shontel Grumhaus (BSBA ’97, MAC ’99) – is succeeding him as associate dean of advancement at UNC Kenan-Flagler.

“Adam has done a terrific job for the School and leaves us prepared to continue our fundraising momentum for the Campaign for Carolina without missing a step,” said Doug Shackelford (BSBA ’80), dean and the Meade H. Willis Distinguished Professor of Taxation.

Grumhaus has been serving as associate dean and senior director of development for the Arts & Sciences Foundation since April 2013.

“Shontel’s successful experience in fundraising, campaign strategy, team building and collaboration across campus makes her the ideal candidate to lead the advancement team to a new level of success,” Shackelford said. “Her deep understanding of the mission, vision and value of UNC Kenan-Flagler and her leadership experience at UNC’s largest academic unit uniquely prepare her to successfully direct the future of our advancement work.”

Gerdts will become vice president for institutional advancement at Yeshiva University. He is returning to his fundraising roots in New York which started in 2002 at Manhattan Theatre Club when he worked on annual-fund campaigns and a capital campaign to restore Broadway’s Biltmore Theater, then moved to higher education
fundraising at American Friends of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2006.

He came back to Carolina in 2007 as director of Young Alumni Programs for the Carolina Annual Fund in the University Development Office, and joined UNC Kenan-Flagler as a major gifts officer in 2008. He was named as executive director of development in 2010 and associate dean of advancement at UNC Kenan-Flagler in 2014.

“Adam built a great advancement team of development, alumni relations, annual giving, advancement services and
corporate relations professionals,” said Shackelford. “He created strong working partnerships across the School and the University, and helped bring fundraising from its depths of $10 million after the recession to more than $50 million projected this year. Carolina will remain his home and he’ll continue to be one of our greatest advocates.”

Grumhaus didn’t just earn two degrees from UNC Kenan-Flagler – she also worked on the advancement team. She was a director of development from 2007 to 2012. Based in New York, she managed relationships for many of our
most generous donors in the northeast area. She went on to serve as principal at a healthcare recruiting firm, Oxeon Partners, until she returned to Chapel Hill in 2013.

As associate dean for the Arts & Sciences Foundation, Grumhaus helped drive strategy across annual giving, alumni engagement, donor relations, corporate and foundation relations, and campaign planning platforms. She led her team of principal and major gift officers to record-breaking performance, raising over $400 million for the College of Arts & Sciences towards a goal of $750 million in the Campaign for Carolina.

Gerdts and Grumhaus take on their new roles effective April 1, 2019