After a national search DePaul University has appointed James K. Looney, 52, of the Claremont University Center and Graduate School in California to vice president for advancement. Looney will assume his new position May 19.

Looney has been vice president for external relations/secretary of the board at Claremont since 1991, where he significantly increased fund-raising, established new advisory boards for each academic center, restructured the Board of Fellows and launched a $50 million capital campaign. He also created an office to attract grants, which tripled research funding, and oversaw Claremont’s marketing and communications activities.

"Jim’s philosophy of philanthropy is based on building and sustaining relationships, not simply transactions," said the Rev. John P. Minogue, C.M., DePaul’s president. "He has also demonstrated a strong track record of building internal systems which will enable us to improve significantly our support and relationships with alumni."

DePaul recently concluded a $100 million campaign which supported construction and renovation of state-of-the-art academic facilities, launched new programs and strengthened partnerships with the City of Chicago.

Three new campaigns have begun to fund improvements in science facilities, student recreation and athletic facilities and increase DePaul’s scholarship endowment.

Prior to his post at Claremont, Looney served from 1985 to 1991 as vice president and western regional manager of Donald A. Campbell & Co., a strategic planning, marketing and fund-raising firm based in Chicago.

From 1966 to 1985 Looney worked with the YMCA in California in a succession of positions with increasing responsibility, culminating in the post of vice president for operations for the Los Angeles YMCA.

"DePaul plays a crucial role in the lives of all those it touches, and its mission is one to which I can fully subscribe," said Looney. "I want to play a role in furthering that mission through increasing philanthropic support to all of its programs."

Looney is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and chaired its 1994 District 7 Conference. He is also a member of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, the board of directors of the California YMCA Model Legislature and Court and a board member of the California Conservation Corps Foundation.

A graduate of Whittier College in Whittier, Calif., Looney double majored in sociology and political science. He has also pursued graduate study in business management, training and personnel at California State University, Fullerton.

When Looney relocates to Chicago, he will join his wife Claudia, who became the president of the Northwestern University Memorial Hospital Foundation last October.