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#TheOG50: The one with Tyler Reich
“You don’t need to chase shiny things to make a difference—just do the work, stay grounded, and focus on what truly matters.”
— Tyler Reich, AVP for Advancement and Executive Director of University Relations, Willamette University
Meet Tyler from Willamette University
We recently caught up with Tyler to talk about his quietly powerful $160M campaign, a complete rethink of alumni communications, and his philosophy of doing the work that matters.
Tyler is the AVP for Advancement/Executive Director of University Relations at Willamette University. With over 18 years of experience, he has successfully closed significant gifts, implemented data-driven programs, and achieved notable results in team expansion, volunteer engagement, and annual fund growth. Tyler's approach combines innovation and data-driven decision-making with the art of relationship-building. He believes in creating joyful philanthropic experiences and meaningful donor engagement.
$160M Raised, Without Ever Going Public
Willamette wrapped up a seven-year comprehensive campaign in 2023, exceeding its $150M goal with $160M raised - all without ever making a public announcement. When the pandemic hit, Tyler and team made the bold decision to reallocate campaign launch resources to student support instead.
That meant no “campaign” fanfare. No glossy countdowns. Just results.
They later celebrated the impact through storytelling and video, highlighting what the institution accomplished thanks to donors - without ever calling it a campaign. Now that’s impact, minus the noise.
Redefining the Alumni Magazine
Tyler led an 18-month overhaul of Willamette’s alumni magazine, transitioning from siloed, outdated publications to one unified storytelling vehicle.
The result? A modern, institution-wide magazine that tells the stories of “Willamette characters” solving the world’s wicked problems. Outdated class notes and obituaries were moved online for timeliness and sensitivity.
The printed version now focuses purely on powerful stories and has already won multiple national awards. With 38,000+ households reached annually, it’s become a lasting engagement tool - one that even alumni spouses have requested to receive.
Digital-first, But Not Digital-only
Understanding today’s alumni preferences, Tyler’s team created a hybrid model - class notes, updates, and social content online for real-time engagement; rich storytelling in print for longevity.
When Tyler saw the magazine in a local dentist’s office (a proud alum’s waiting room), it was a full-circle moment: “That’s our work, sitting right there in the wild.”
What next for Tyler and Willamette
Now post-campaign, Tyler is focused on foundation-building over trend-chasing. That means:
- Conducting a fresh alumni survey to assess engagement shifts
- Evolving WU Stream virtual programming based on alumni feedback
- Exploring AI for personalized communications—without losing the human touch
- Preparing the groundwork for Willamette’s next big campaign
Tyler believes that thoughtful, strategic tech adoption—done right—can power deeper, more personal alumni engagement. But it must always serve the mission, not replace the people.
Tyler Reich is proof that lasting change doesn’t always need a spotlight. Whether he’s leading a $160M campaign without a big reveal or rebuilding alumni communications from scratch, Tyler stays rooted in impact and relationships.
Want to follow Tyler’s journey? Here’s his LinkedIn.
“You don’t need to chase shiny things to make a difference—just do the work, stay grounded, and focus on what truly matters.”
— Tyler Reich, AVP for Advancement and Executive Director of University Relations, Willamette University
Meet Tyler from Willamette University
We recently caught up with Tyler to talk about his quietly powerful $160M campaign, a complete rethink of alumni communications, and his philosophy of doing the work that matters.
Tyler is the AVP for Advancement/Executive Director of University Relations at Willamette University. With over 18 years of experience, he has successfully closed significant gifts, implemented data-driven programs, and achieved notable results in team expansion, volunteer engagement, and annual fund growth. Tyler's approach combines innovation and data-driven decision-making with the art of relationship-building. He believes in creating joyful philanthropic experiences and meaningful donor engagement.
$160M Raised, Without Ever Going Public
Willamette wrapped up a seven-year comprehensive campaign in 2023, exceeding its $150M goal with $160M raised - all without ever making a public announcement. When the pandemic hit, Tyler and team made the bold decision to reallocate campaign launch resources to student support instead.
That meant no “campaign” fanfare. No glossy countdowns. Just results.
They later celebrated the impact through storytelling and video, highlighting what the institution accomplished thanks to donors - without ever calling it a campaign. Now that’s impact, minus the noise.
Redefining the Alumni Magazine
Tyler led an 18-month overhaul of Willamette’s alumni magazine, transitioning from siloed, outdated publications to one unified storytelling vehicle.
The result? A modern, institution-wide magazine that tells the stories of “Willamette characters” solving the world’s wicked problems. Outdated class notes and obituaries were moved online for timeliness and sensitivity.
The printed version now focuses purely on powerful stories and has already won multiple national awards. With 38,000+ households reached annually, it’s become a lasting engagement tool - one that even alumni spouses have requested to receive.
Digital-first, But Not Digital-only
Understanding today’s alumni preferences, Tyler’s team created a hybrid model - class notes, updates, and social content online for real-time engagement; rich storytelling in print for longevity.
When Tyler saw the magazine in a local dentist’s office (a proud alum’s waiting room), it was a full-circle moment: “That’s our work, sitting right there in the wild.”
What next for Tyler and Willamette
Now post-campaign, Tyler is focused on foundation-building over trend-chasing. That means:
- Conducting a fresh alumni survey to assess engagement shifts
- Evolving WU Stream virtual programming based on alumni feedback
- Exploring AI for personalized communications—without losing the human touch
- Preparing the groundwork for Willamette’s next big campaign
Tyler believes that thoughtful, strategic tech adoption—done right—can power deeper, more personal alumni engagement. But it must always serve the mission, not replace the people.
Tyler Reich is proof that lasting change doesn’t always need a spotlight. Whether he’s leading a $160M campaign without a big reveal or rebuilding alumni communications from scratch, Tyler stays rooted in impact and relationships.
Want to follow Tyler’s journey? Here’s his LinkedIn.
Blackbaud, the leading provider of software for powering social impact, and Almabase, the digital-first alumni engagement solution, have announced the expansion of their partnership to the education sectors of Canada and the United Kingdom. The partnership will provide institutions with a modern, digital-first solution to improve constituent data, drive self-serve engagement, and boost event participation.
A Unified Vision
The partnership aligns with Blackbaud’s commitment to customer-centric innovation across digital engagement, Advancement CRM, and financials.
“Partners bring integrated capabilities that extend capabilities and outcomes for Blackbaud customers. We are thrilled that Almabase’s offering, integrated with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT® and leveraging Blackbaud’s best-in-class payment solution, Blackbaud Merchant Services™, is now available to even more of our customers around the world.”
- Liz Price, Sr. Director of Global Partners at Blackbaud
