Jim Salmo has been consciously preparing himself for a position like vice president for university advancement at an institution like Eastern.

“I’ve purposely spent 25 years learning the advancement area,” Salmo said. “It was all part of learning all the different areas in advancement.”

Salmo’s visit was the second of four on-campus interview days for the final four candidates for Jill Nilsen’s replacement.

Salmo has worked on a capital fundraising campaign at University of Missouri-Columbia, as the associate vice chancellor for development in health sciences. He previously spent five years as the director of development for the law school there.

“I could stay there for another 11 years, but it’s time to move on to what would be the pinnacle of my career, as a vice president at an institution like Eastern,” he said. “I’m at a point where I only have one or two moves left in me. I’m too old to move around much more.”

Salmo said his visit to Eastern has made him even more interested in the position.

“I found it quite enthralling,” he said. “If anything, it energized me to want to be a part of this institution even more.”

Most of Salmo’s background involves fundraising, but he also has experience in marketing and looks forward to learning more about it as well as government relations.

“My Achilles heel is government relations. Nowhere I’ve been in the past would have that role under my position,” he said. “I think it fits under this structure. I have no experience to demonstrate, but you learn a lot of things by doing.”

Eastern’s capital fundraising campaign, which is currently in a silent phase, is of particular interest to him. It is an area in which he feels he would succeed.

“The first thing whoever comes into this position is to look at the donors, and structure the campaign around them,” Salmo said. “I think things are in good shape, and I think people, and this operation, are ready to move up to another level. It’s a great opportunity for whoever comes in.”

Salmo has found fundraising rewarding in the past. After completing a campaign at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, he felt accomplished.

“I felt like there was something there that was going to last long after I’ve left,” he said. “It felt very rewarding.”

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or seruholl2@eiu.edu.