John R. Hipps begins Sept. 24 as director of Donor Relations for the Church of the Brethren. He is a member of Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren and brings a broad range of knowledge and expertise in fundraising to the position, having helped carry out a $40 million fundraising campaign at Bridgewater College.
Hipps most recently has been director of Development at the Shenandoah County Free Clinic in Woodstock, Va. Previously he worked in the Office of Institutional Advancement at Bridgewater College where from 2008-11 he was executive director of Development, and from 2005-08 was director of Special Gifts. Other professional experience has included 13 years with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. in Allentown, Pa., where he held several different positions including financial analyst and global business controller.
Church involvements include lifelong affiliation with the Church of the Brethren, seven years on the summer staff of Brethren camps during high school and college, and service on local church boards. He is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Virginia Gift Planning Council. He holds a bachelor of science in Business Administration and Economics from Bridgewater College, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
Hipps will work out of a main office in Bridgewater while also working one week per month at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.