John A. Feudo has been named director of alumni relations. He will join UConn February 15 from the University of Massachusetts where he has been associate vice chancellor for university advancement and executive director of the University of Massachusetts Alumni Association.

Feudo is the University's 10th director of alumni relations. His appointment was announced by Edward T. Allenby, vice president for institutional advancement and president of the University of Connecticut Foundation Inc.

"John Feudo has a distinguished reputation as an innovative and energetic leader in alumni relations," Allenby said. "He is a well regarded professional, understands quality alumni programs, and will provide outstanding leadership to the University's alumni relations efforts."

The appointment follows an extensive national search that began after the retirement last fall of C. William Colburn, director since 1995.

"I'm thrilled to be joining a great public university and an alumni association that is clearly on the way to becoming one of the best in the country," Feudo said.

At UMass, Feudo was the chief operating officer for the division that manages that university's offices of alumni relations, communications and marketing, alumni relations, development, community relations, government affairs and university relations. He played a key role in the development and implementation of UMass's first-ever comprehensive capital campaign, including solicitation of the first $1 million cash gift in the school's history.

Feudo, who arrived at UMass in 1993, is credited with reviving the school's alumni, parent and student programs, increasing the UMass alumni club network from 8 chapters to 75, and increasing the UMass Alumni Association's assets from $200,000 to more than $5 million.

Before coming to UMass, Feudo was director of alumni field services at Tufts University from 1988 to 1993, and manager of membership and public relations at Toastmasters International from 1986 to 1988.

He is a graduate of Boston College and earned a master's degree in communications from Lesley College and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

Gary Frank