Michael Hammerschmidt Joins Aviv Centers for Living as Chief Development Officer
Michael Hammerschmidt has joined Aviv Centers for Living (Aviv) as Chief Development Officer. He brings over 30 years of professional development experience and consulting to universities and health care institutions to his new post. Most recently he served as the Executive Director, North America for the National Institute for Psychobiology in Israel and as Principal at PhilanthropyGlobal, a consultant to nonprofit organizations. Hammerschmidt has also held Senior Executive Development positions at New England Aquarium, Bentz Whaley Flessner (BWF), California State University, Northridge, Tulane Law School, and Brandeis University.
Hammerschmidt has been involved in leading, staffing or consulting on over a dozen major campaigns totaling over $1 billion, ranging in size from $7.5 million to $250 million. While at BWF, he served as the lead consultant on major university and hospital accounts, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Prior to his tenure with BWF, Hammerschmidt served as associate vice president for development and executive director of the University Foundation with California State University, Northridge in Los Angeles. During his final year in the position, fundraising efforts totaled $17.5 million. The sum represented an increase of $14 million over the total five years earlier, when he first joined the university.
He first came to Massachusetts as an undergraduate at Brandeis University. He has also studied at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and Brandeis University’s Heller Graduate School. He was previously a member of the board of trustees and the Committee on Allocations of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston (CJP), as well as a co-chair of the CJP’s young leadership development program.
“Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role as Chief Development Officer at Aviv. We are excited for him to join our team as we move forward with our expansion plans. As chief architect of our development strategy and plan, Michael will play an integral role in building a solid foundation to support Aviv’s important role in the community of caring for our seniors,” says Stephen H. Neff, Aviv’s President and CEO.
“This position brings together my past professional experiences in a very meaningful way. I am honored to have an opportunity to make an impact on the lives of many people on the North Shore by building support for this important organization,” says Hammerschmidt. He and his partner reside in Marblehead with their son.
