Robert M. Stuart Jr., a former Capital One executive and longtime LSU Foundation leader, has been named interim president and CEO of the LSU Foundation, effective Jan. 1, 2020.
The appointment of Stuart—who will succeed J. Bryan Benchoff once Benchoff retires Dec. 31—comes at a critical time for the LSU Foundation, nine months into the LSU System’s six-year Fierce for the Future fundraising campaign. In his interim role, Stuart will lead efforts to reach the $1.5 billion campaign goal, which was publicly unveiled in March after some $571 million in donations had been quietly amassed over a nearly four-year period.
Much progress has already been made. Since its official launch, the campaign has surpassed the halfway point one year earlier than expected. Of the $801 million raised to date, $710 million has been funneled to the flagship campus, with $427 million (60%) going toward academics, $269 million (38%) going toward athletics, and almost $15 million (2%) supporting the LSU Alumni Association.
An LSU alumnus, Stuart brings with him years of LSU Foundation experience, having served as the first chairperson of the LSU Foundation National Board and as chairman of the LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation, an affiliate of the LSU Foundation. He’s also chaired the committee to oversee LSU REFF’s Charity Hospital redevelopment project, where he worked to bring the historic building back to commerce, as well as the LSU Task Force on Greek Life.
His other board memberships include the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Woman’s Hospital (both of which he chaired), along with the Council For A Better Louisiana, Public Affairs Research Council, Blueprint Louisiana, the Tiger Athletic Foundation and The Committee of 100.
Professionally, Stuart formerly served as the national head of middle-market corporate banking at Capital One, for which he led regional and national teams in middle-market banking, as well as teams in energy banking, government banking and wealth and asset management.
In the coming months, the LSU Foundation board of directors will move forward to establish permanent leadership in the position.
