Gleason joins Foundation staff

“I look forward to meeting and working with all of you to achieve your individual and congregational goals,” said Randy Gleason, Director of Strategic Giving for the New Mexico Conference Methodist Foundation. “I am also excited about traveling all around New Mexico and West Texas where I already have many friends and contacts.”

Gleason hit the ground running on July 1, taking his first working trip to Eastern New Mexico on July 6.

He hopes to visit all New Mexico and Texas congregations in the Conference, learning how he can help the congregations support their ministries.
Gleason’s professional background includes serving as a social worker and psychologist in the 1970s.

He was an investment banker and financial planner in the 1980s. He served as president of Norwest Investment Management and Trust in the 1990s, leading a team that grew it into the largest organization of its kind in New Mexico. He has been a fund-raising professional since 2001.

For the past six years, he consulted with both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, providing leadership training, turnaround management, sales training, fund-raising seminars and serving as a development director.

Most recently Gleason was consultant to Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico’s Development and Capital Campaign departments, a management consultant to Jupiter Electrical and Construction Services of Andrews, Texas, marketing and communication consultant to International Intuitive Investment Management in Albuquerque, and business planning consultant to Prosperity Works of New Mexico.

The position of Director of Strategic Giving at the Foundation is critical to the Foundation as it moves to the next tier of providing support to the churches, institutions and various agencies of the New Mexico Annual Conference. This includes assistance with major gifts and planned giving as well as annual fund development. Gleason also has an interest in leadership training and development.

A native New Mexican born in Farmington, he has lived and worked all over New Mexico and Texas.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces and a Master of Arts in Counseling from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. In addition, he is a graduate of the College for Financial Planners and the National Graduate Trust School.

Gleason started his career as a cook at Sacramento Methodist Assembly. He also was youth director at First United Methodist Church in Portales and University Methodist Church in Las Cruces and was program director at FUMC in Clovis.

Gleason has served as chairman of the Board of the University of New Mexico Hospitals Clinical Board, district governor of Rotary, Rotary Zone major gifts advisor, a member of the editorial advisory board of the New Mexico Business Journal and a member of the board of directors of Wells Fargo Bank, New Mexico, NA.

“What a terrific opportunity to return to my Methodist roots at a time that I might use my total career skills and experience for the benefit of the Kingdom,” Gleason said. “Servant Leadership is my hope and increased success in securing financial support for the ministries offered in our Conference is my mission.”

Gleason has been married for 20 years to Debra Pagett-Gleason. They share two sons and daughters-in-law, one granddaughter and three grandsons.