Andrew Watt Named Chief Executive of the Association of Fundraising Professionals

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the world's leading association for individuals and organizations that support charitable institutions, today announced that it has named Andrew Watt as its president and chief executive officer, effective March 23.

Watt, a veteran of two decades in the fundraising profession, was most recently AFP's chief program officer and before that was its vice president of international development. Prior to joining AFP in 2006, Watt worked for nearly 10 years at the Institute of Fundraising in the United Kingdom, ultimately serving as deputy chief executive.

"The board is delighted that Andrew has agreed to lead AFP at this important time for our profession," said Andrea McManus, CFRE, chair of AFP. "After an extensive, international search, Andrew is clearly the best choice. He will continue our core mission of educating fundraisers and maintaining the highest ethical standards. At the same time, he will guide the organization into a new era by attracting the next generation of fundraisers, strengthening our connections to nonprofit organizations and making AFP even more accessible to the charitable community worldwide."

"I am honored to have been asked to lead the organization, and I am committed to making AFP an increasingly authoritative voice on philanthropy around the world," Watt said. "One of my most important goals will be to maximize AFP's many partnerships and assets, particularly our 30,000 members and 214 chapters, to make it a vital leader within the philanthropic community."

Watt succeeds Paulette Maehara, CFRE, CAE, AFP's current president and CEO, who is retiring next month after nearly 13 years with the organization. "We thank Paulette for her tireless leadership and commitment during a period of significant growth and success at AFP," McManus said. "We wish her all the best in the future."

Since 1960, AFP has been the standard bearer for professionalism in fundraising. The organization is dedicated to advancing philanthropy by enabling people and organizations to practice ethical and effective fundraising. Its core activities include education, training, mentoring, research, credentialing and advocacy. AFP holds conferences, publishes educational materials and offers certification programs with the aim of making fundraising a credible and respected profession dedicated to civic betterment throughout the world.

SOURCE Association of Fundraising Professionals