Russ Dunman Named United Way Executive Director
MONTGOMERY – The new executive director of the River Region United Way is taking over at a difficult economic time. Russ Dunman, who was director of stewardship for Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church and has been a United Way volunteer for 30-plus years, said, "Fundraising in the River Region has always been a pleasantly surprising challenge and the River Region always responds."
As the executive director, Dunman said his first job is to listen – "to the giving public, to the agencies United Way supports, to the volunteer community and professional leaders in the River Region both past and present and to anyone with viable and potentially workable ways to improve the United Way campaign and the River Region United Way as a whole."
The campaign had raised $3.2 million of its $5.6 million goal. Dunman pointed out that "dollars are very important, but the impact of those dollars is so much more the story of our United Way."
Before being named executive director of the River Region United Way, Dunman spent 34 years in the banking industry with Regions Financial Corp. and two other banks that evolved into Regions. Dunman served in numerous capacities during his banking career including a runner and teller and retired in 2007 as an executive vice president.
A Sidney Lanier High School graduate, Dunman received bachelor's degrees in history and political science from Troy University. He also attended the LSU Graduate School of Banking and the University of South Alabama Graduate School of Banking.
Dunman, who oversees a staff of 16, said his goals for United Way include growing the contributor base and helping the community better understand the agency's role.