Mason Blacher served as Director of Major Gifts at Stanford University, where he directed the full range of individual giving programs for the Graduate School of Business.  He is especially regarded for his work in:

• The management of large-gift solicitations -- guiding organizations and volunteers to seek six- and seven-figure gifts and larger, even from first-time donors;

- cases for support that are truly compelling, backed by numbers that support the need for endowment;

- researching and adding to the prospect list potential names not previously considered; and

- qualifying the interests of prospective donors as only   a fundraiser with personal experience closing multi-million dollar gifts can discern;

• Providing interim vice presidential leadership and management;  and 

Blacher previously served Dominican College (now University) of San Rafael, California as Assistant Dean and later as Director of Public Information.  He has a B. A. (1973) in classics and an M. A. (1975) in college administration from Stanford, studying for his Ed.D. in higher education administration under David B. Tyack and the late Lewis B. Mayhew.

Blacher co-founded the Stanford Savoyards 40 years ago and served as its first producer, revived the Ram’s Head student drama society, and served on the University Committee on Public Events; he revived both the defunct Quad yearbook and Chaparral humor magazine. Later, he founded the Stanford Club of Marin, serving as its first President; was Vice President of Big Brothers of Marin; and wrote theater reviews for three Bay Area newspapers. 

Blacher chaired the Planned Giving Council of Washington Gives, the state’s “Give Five” affiliate, and has been a member of the Washington Planned Giving Council and Northwest Development Officers Association (NDOA).  He has spoken on Board Recruitment and Capital Campaigns at the Presidents Institute of the Council on Independent Colleges (CIC), written in several publications on major and planned giving, and participates in annual seminars of the Registry of Interim College and University Presidents.  He has served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Association of Washington Business (AWB), the statewide chamber of commerce and conducted a series of strategic planning retreats that helped the organization to double its annual revenues.  He is Past-President (2002-4) of his Rotary Club and a member of The Ruins (a private arts club).