Jim Orr, who has been the vice president of advancement since 2014, will step into an executive fundraiser/governmental relations officer role later this year.

Orr said the transition comes out of pressing family matters that urge him and his wife, Elaine, to move back to the McKinney area.

“We had lived in McKinney for 20-plus years before we moved out here,” Orr said. “We felt a need to move back there because we felt like we needed to be closer to family ties and especially Elaine’s mom and provide the assistance she needs.”

While he said it was a difficult decision, he also said it was the correct one after spending a few months praying over it.

After making his decision, Orr said he and Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, began to discuss roles he could transition to where Orr could move back but still be a part of ACU.

“As Dr. Schubert and I have had conversations about my desires to still be a part of ACU and the things ACU is going to accomplish, we were able to come up with a different role where I could still play a part here but from a different location,” Orr said.

He said his new role will allow him to retain relationships that he has made during his tenure as vice president of advancement.

“My new role is still a part of the advancement division, so while I am transitioning out of the VP role, it still allows me to work with some of the donors I’ve worked with over these last several years and provide funding for the mission of the school,” Orr said.

He said other responsibilities that will be included in his new role will also be stewarding relationships and working with government officials on the local, state and national levels.

Once he is in his new role, Orr said he wants to expand the number of people working with and impacted by the ACU community.

“The overall goal I have regarding those sorts of relationships is to continue to expand the number of people that come alongside us and help us in significant ways,” Orr said. “Not only that but finding jobs for our graduates or finding prospective students for ACU. In this way, I hope to help ACU reach more lives for the Kingdom.”

Orr also teaches the strategic philanthropy course and wishes to remain involved.

“We will certainly continue the course, although we are still working out details with how it will be taught,” Orr said. “I hope to remain involved in the course as well. The fundraising around it will still continue for the students, with giving the money away being a part of the core curriculum for it.” 

The news of his departure from the VP role comes from an email announcement written by Schubert to the faculty and staff where Schubert said Orr was at the helm “during a time of unprecedented fundraising growth.”

While a new VP has not been chosen, Orr said he will begin his transition when someone fills the vacancy.