I am pleased to annonce the appointment of Michael K. Bergler, CFRE, Executive Director of Constituent Relations at Concordia University Irvine (CA), as a member of ODK’s National Advisory Council (NAC). Mike was appointed by the Board of Directors during our regularly scheduled call this afternoon. He will assume the position vacated by Dr. Kathy Smith who was appointed as an At Large Member of the Board in May. The NAC has 15 seats. With Mike’s appointment, the Council is again at full capacity.
At Concordia University Irvine, Mike oversees alumni and family relations, church and community relations, advancement services, finance and human resources, phonathon and student giving initiatives for the division of University Advancement.
Mike launched his career in alumni and family relations at the University of California, Riverside by capitalizing on his student affairs background as student body president, a resident assistant, and assistant director of orientation. He held subsequent positions at Chapman University and the University of California, Irvine, including a year as interim executive director of the UCI Alumni Association.
He attained his CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) certification in September 2007. Mike is a frequent CASE speaker at district, national and international conferences with Faculty Star ratings. He earned the Distinguished Toastmaster award from Toastmasters International in 1998. He has won multiple CASE District VII and national awards for phonathon, homecoming, student recruitment and reunion programs.
Practicing what he preaches to volunteers, Mike also serves on several non-profit boards, including CASE District VII, college scholarship committees, church ministries, homeowners associations, school-based boards, and the Boy Scouts of America.
Mike’s involvement with Omicron Delta Kappa spans over 20 years, starting as the founding president for the University of California, Riverside Circle. He subsequently served as UCR’s faculty secretary before going on to charter circles at Chapman University and Concordia University Irvine. He is currently the faculty advisor at Concordia. In 2011-2012, Concordia received the Superior Circle Award. Mike previously served as a faculty province director, on the General Council, and as the faculty director representative to the National Board of Directors. He has served on committees for reorganization, extension, programming, and Leader of the Year selection and is the recipient of several service and programming awards for his contributions to Omicron Delta Kappa.
Mike graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and biology in 1992. Exploring physiological anomalies characteristic of cystic fibrosis, he also earned a Master of Science in biomedical sciences at UC Riverside in 1995. He was named Outstanding Student for the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences as an undergraduate and awarded the premier award for leadership and academic excellence both as an undergraduate and a graduate student. He was named to USA Today’s All-USA Academic Team in 1992. He was valedictorian in high school, received a national Quill & Scroll award for high school journalism, and is an Eagle Scout.
He lives with his wife Lisa and their two children, Natalie and Jonathan, in Irvine, California.
Please join me in congratulating Mike Bergler on his appointment to the NAC. I know he will be a true asset and look forward to his contributions and leadership as we approach our centennial.
