Minnesota State Mankato Names Richard Ortega Interim Vice President for University Advancement
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato President Edward Inch announced that Richard Ortega (pictured) has been named interim vice president for university advancement, effective Thursday, June 27.
Ortega joins Minnesota State Mankato after serving as interim vice president for university advancement and executive director of the California State University Maritime Academy Foundation at Cal Maritime from October 2021 to July 2023.
“Richard joins us with a distinguished background and a wealth of experience in higher education advancement,” said Inch. “He brings with him a proven ability to lead advancement initiatives and campaigns, providing direction and leadership to marketing, communications, advancement services and alumni relations teams to support and advance a university’s strategic mission.”
Ortega has more than 35 years of experience in higher education advancement.
Prior to serving at Cal Maritime, Ortega was the inaugural vice president for university advancement at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Among his other previous roles, Ortega has held advancement leadership positions at Holy Names University in Oakland, California; Carroll College in Helena, Montana; New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, New Mexico; and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
Ortega earned a doctorate degree in education in administration and supervision, emphasis on educational leadership and organizational learning, from the University of New Mexico, where he also earned a master’s degree in educational administration. Ortega earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge.
Inch said a national search for a permanent vice president for university advancement will be launched in the fall.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,635 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 26 colleges and seven universities.
