Robert Riggs Named Chief Development Officer of Scleroderma Foundation

Robert Riggs, who has a working history with the Scleroderma Foundation dating back to 1995, has been hired as its chief development officer. He will begin his new position on January 1.

Riggs’s first involvement with the scleroderma community was as the director of communications for the California-based United Scleroderma Foundation, a forerunner to the current organization. Three months into his position, Riggs was promoted to executive director where he spearheaded efforts to enhance awareness and fundraising that resulted in the organization’s largest-ever increases in revenue and membership. Together with the USF board, Riggs played an instrumental role in the negotiations and planning that successfully brought about the merger between the United Scleroderma Foundation and the Scleroderma Federation, thus creating the current Massachusetts-based Scleroderma Foundation. He joined the staff of the newly-created Scleroderma Foundation as its director of development and within a year was appointed interim executive director.

He resigned his position at the Foundation in late 1999 to pursue an opportunity in medical and pharmaceutical public relations but remained active as member of the National Board’s Development, Communications and Chapter Relations committees. In 2001, Riggs was asked to fill a one-year term on the National Board of Directors that was opened by the resignation of one of its members. Since joining the Board of Directors, he has been elected to two consecutive terms and currently serves on the Foundation’s Executive Committee and chairs the Communications Committee. His current board term comes to a close at the end of 2006.

In addition to his years of experience with the organization, Riggs brings a strong background in public relations, corporate communications, fund development, and organizational management. He has served as the director of medical and health communications for a national public relations agency, vice president and general manager of a specialty chemical company with offices in four states and on the island of Guam, and most recently headed the development department of a museum of art. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration and a master’s degree in theology.

"We are very excited to have Robert joining us as Chief Development Officer," said Frannie Waldron, Scleroderma Foundation CEO. "His experience with and knowledge of the Foundation, in combination with his skills, talents, and expertise in development and public relations, will be a great asset as we move forward in 2007."