Biography
Ron Area has served as senior vice president for development and chief executive officer for the Marshall University Foundation since 2007.
Area has been in higher education since receiving his doctorate of education from Oklahoma State University in 1978. Upon graduation from OSU, Area accepted the position of assistant dean of continuing education at UT Chattanooga. He was later named dean. In 1981, he was named vice chancellor of development. During his last three years at UT Chattanooga, Area was named executive vice chancellor and vice chancellor of development. While at UT Chattanooga, he completed the Summer Institute of Educational Management at Harvard University.
During his nearly 15 years at UT Chattanooga, he had oversight in the areas of credit and non-credit programs, evening college, public radio station, legislative relations, marketing, public relations, athletics, alumni affairs and development.
From 1992 to 2004, Area was president and CEO of the Oklahoma State University Foundation. He was responsible for providing leadership, coordination and management for all private fund-raising programs for the Oklahoma State University System. He and his administrative team designed, implemented and completed the university’s first comprehensive campaign raising in excess of $260 million. He also provided leadership and senior management of two-for-profit subsidiaries, two limited liability corporations and the OSU Foundation Holding Company. Before joining Marshall, Area provided fund-raising and administrative expertise for the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.