Renberg

Cary

Fred Van Sickle, vice president for alumni affairs and development (AAD), announced that Ben Renberg has been named the division’s senior associate vice president, effective Sept. 15.

“Ben will lead day-to-day operations and focus on effectively integrating and heightening our division‘s activities and programs on behalf of Cornell following the successes of the Cornell Now campaign,” Van Sickle said.

He will be responsible for programs that include major gifts; leadership gifts; trusts, estates and gift planning; college and unit programs; communications and donor engagement; digital; prospect management; and operations.

Since 2010, Renberg has served as associate vice president for development at Rice University and previously was assistant dean of external relations for the university’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business.

He was a partner with Dini Partners, a consulting firm specializing in nonprofits. Previously, he was associate vice president for university development at Baylor University and director of development at Baylor College of Medicine. Renberg holds bachelor’s and MBA degrees from Baylor University.

Van Sickle also announced the appointment of Tracy Cary as associate vice president for operations, effective Aug. 22. Cary joins AAD after serving as director of finance and budget in Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration, where she has held senior roles since 2006. She is a certified public accountant and holds a degree in accounting from Penn State University. Cary succeeds Richard Banks ‘72, who has served Cornell for 38 years and will begin phased retirement Sept 1.

“The senior associate vice president is a new role and has helped us to redefine the function of the associate vice president, as well as other roles within our division,” Van Sickle said.

“As we continue to advance Cornell by increasing the university’s capacity to lead and to educate tomorrow’s leaders across nearly every endeavor, Ben and Tracy will be significant additions to our team,” Van Sickle said. “I know they will make important contributions to our division and the university, and I look forward to working with them both. There is still much to be done to advance Cornell, and these two positions are central to developing a post-campaign strategy,” Van Sickle said.

Diane Lebo Wallace is a writer for Alumni Affairs and Development.