Two Appointed to Leadership Positions
Sean Ferguson was appointed vice president for Strategy and Innovation. In this role, he will create partnerships with public and private sector organizations that strengthen the student experience and elevate the university. The new position stems from community input during the creation of “Falcons Forward 2030,” the university’s new strategic plan.
Ferguson previously worked as senior associate dean for Asia School of Business, a startup partnership between the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Central Bank of Malaysia.
Before Asia School of Business, Sean served as the associate dean of MBA and Master of Science programs at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s School of Business, where he provided leadership for four MBA programs and seven Master of Science programs, substantially increasing enrollment and revenue.
“Growth, strategic planning, innovation and expanding external partnerships with faculty and academic leadership have been central to my roles over the years,” Ferguson says, “and I look forward to helping Bentley succeed in these spaces.”
Chris Grugan joined Bentley as the new vice president for University Advancement in November after a national search. He oversees the university’s fundraising, alumni engagement and Pulsifer Career Development Center.
Grugan came to Bentley from Harvard University, where he most recently served as executive director of Principal Giving for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He was responsible for developing and leading a newly created principal giving team, which worked with many of the university’s most loyal and generous alumni, parents and friends.
“Looking ahead to the many ways that our strategic plan will impact Bentley’s next decade and beyond, University Advancement will play a major role in diversifying our revenue streams and expanding our endowment,” says President Chrite. “I am excited to welcome Chris into our community and know that he and the entire Advancement division will help keep Bentley an organization we can be proud of for years to come.”
Grugan joined the leadership team as Be a Force: The Campaign for Bentley University reached a milestone: raising $90 million toward its goal of $100 million.
“I am happy to be here at this pivotal time and look forward to immersing myself in the university community,” he says. “I was drawn to this role by the passion and care for Bentley that I saw in abundance from alumni, faculty and staff throughout the interview process. The momentum we are seeing in campaign achievement is further evidence of a community-wide commitment to building on Bentley’s history of excellence.”
At Harvard, Grugan also served as the senior executive director of Individual Giving, where he led a 90-person team responsible for securing gifts to support the university’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Before that, he held advancement leadership positions at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and Tufts University. Grugan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology from Colgate University.