Ernie Iseminger will join Illinois Institute of Technology as vice president for Institutional Advancement on September 16. Iseminger has been a leader in development and fundraising for more than three decades. He will join Illinois Tech from Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, where he was involved in garnering a transformational gift of $70 million this past year.

Having raised more than $1 billion during his nearly 30 years of fundraising at five separate institutions of higher education, Iseminger was honored by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as one of its “Six People to Watch in 2015,” as he closed out a $635 million capital campaign at the prestigious Claremont McKenna College—the largest in the history of the liberal arts school.

Prior to LA BioMed, Iseminger served as vice president of advancement at Claremont Graduate University, where he put together the Centennial Campaign for CGU with the preliminary goal of $300 million, while overseeing the development, marketing, communications, and alumni engagement efforts.

Iseminger started his career as the coach and chief fundraiser for men’s crew at his alma mater, Washington State University. From there he moved up the ranks in the development operation at Oberlin College in Ohio, where he successfully served for 10 years, advancing from assistant director for major gifts to the vice president for development and alumni affairs. Before arriving in California, he served as senior associate vice president for development and alumni relations at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Iseminger received his B.A. in social studies, history, and education from Washington State in 1991. He continues to serve his alma mater as a member of the Cougar Crew Alumni Association.