Nebraska Alumni Association management team changes announced

Kirk Cerny, senior vice president for membership services at the Kansas Alumni Association for the past five years, has accepted the position of associate executive director for membership and development at the Nebraska Alumni Association. He joins the staff Nov. 1.

Marc Shkolnick, associate executive director, who was in charge of membership and the programming team, is leaving Nebraska to become executive director of alumni relations at Colorado State University in Fort Collins effective Nov. 8. Shkolnick, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees from UNL, was director of alumni relations from 1993-99 and had served as associate executive director since then.

"Marc has done a tremendous job for us and will certainly be missed, but this is a wonderful career advancement opportunity for him," said Ed Paquette, executive director of the Nebraska Alumni Association. "I wish him well and know that he will do a great job for CSU.

"I'm pleased that Kirk has accepted our offer to join the staff. He brings with him a wealth of experience in membership development, strategic planning and working with volunteers and donors at one of the premier alumni associations in the country. This also gives me the opportunity to reorganize the association's senior management team to serve the changing needs of our alumni and the university most effectively."

Cerny earned a bachelor's degree in human biology in 1992 and a master's degree in higher education administration in 1998, both from the University of Kansas. He served as an admissions representative for KU from 1992-1994 and as director of chapters and constituent programs for the alumni association from 1994 until he was named senior vice president in 1999.

"Kirk Cerny is one of today's elite young alumni relations' professionals," said Fred Williams, former president and CEO of the Kansas Alumni Association. "He has a lot of moxie; he is a team player and will help establish a collaborative environment with other campus agencies, which in the end will result in an increase in the active involvement of alumni in the life of the university. Kirk is by heritage a Nebraskan, and I am certain that the Husker Nation will be served well by his and his lovely wife, Kelly's, presence in the Lincoln community."

The Council of Alumni Association Executives awarded Cerny a Forman Fellowship for Research in Alumni Programming in 2000-2001. He is a member of the University of Kansas School of Business Board of Advisors and the School of Education National Advisory Board.

"I'm excited to be a part of the proud Nebraska Cornhusker tradition," Cerny said. "As a Lincoln native, I look forward to coming home and working with the alumni association to achieve the goals of its members in supporting the university."

Cerny lived in Lincoln from the age of 1 until his sophomore year at East High School and has family members scattered across the state.

Cerny is one of three associate executive directors on the newly realigned alumni management team. Shelley Moses Zaborowski, '96, '00, formerly director of student programs, has been promoted to associate executive director for programs. She will continue to coordinate the Student Alumni Association, Cather Circle and Legacy programs while assuming supervisory responsibilities for all other alumni programs.

Andrea Wood Cranford, '71, formerly director of communications, has been named associate executive director for communications. Other members of the management team are Kersi Pajnigar, '81, chief financial officer, and Alice Kadavy, administrative assistant.

CONTACT: Andrea Cranford, Nebraska Alumni Association, (402) 472-4229