AC’s Joe Bill Sherrod named 2022 Outstanding Fundraising Professional
Joe Bill Sherrod is a consummate professional with a proven track record of success in higher education fundraising, and today he was presented with a prestigious award in recognition of his cumulatively impactful achievements.
The Texas Plains Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals named Sherrod, vice president of institutional advancement at Amarillo College, its Outstanding Fundraising Professional for 2022.
The accolade was conferred during the National Philanthropy Day Luncheon at the Amarillo Civic Center.
Sherrod, who joined the AC administration in 2019, is spearheading the College’s first-ever comprehensive campaign called Badger Bold, and results so far have been impressive. In October of this year, when the College launched the public phase of the $45 million campaign, a total of $31.5 million – a full 70 percent of the goal – had already been given or pledged to Badger Bold.
That includes a recent $3 million gift that provides AC’s new athletics program with a “Founding Sponsor,” along with a prestigious name for its newly renovated base of operations, which henceforth will be called FirstBank Southwest Center.
Prior to 2019, Sherrod served as assistant vice president for leadership gifts and development at West Texas A&M University, where he achieved notable success as both director of development from 2015-2018, and major gifts officer from 2009-2015.
While wearing multiple hats at WTAMU, Sherrod participated in a Share the Pride Comprehensive Campaign which generated $51 million for the university. Additionally, he led a capital initiative which raised $11 million for the completion of the university’s Agricultural Sciences Complex.
“It is humbling, to say the least, to be nominated and selected for this award,” Sherrod said. “I am honored to represent and support the students, faculty and staff whose compelling stories I get to tell.
“No one wins an award like this without amazing support. I have been part of a couple of incredible institutions of higher education. I have been fortunate to have had community leaders who supported and in fact paved the way for me in a number of situations. And currently, I get to work with an institutional advancement and foundation team who are committed to a very big vision as well as a quality execution plan of that vision.
“They make me look much better than I am.”
Sherrod also has a track record of civic involvement that includes chairing boards of the Harrington Cancer Center, the Amarillo Little Theatre, the Amarillo Museum of Art, and more.