Adam Cermak is the Chief Development Officer for the Colorado Community College System and Executive Director of the Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges. Under Adam’s leadership, the Foundation has more than tripled its annual fundraising while growing its endowment from $600,000 to $9 million. Beyond fundraising, in this role Adam provides strategic counsel, professional development, and board development training for the Colorado Community College System’s 13 college Presidents, foundation Executive Directors, and foundation boards‭ to maximize fundraising ‬‬‭opportunities and results. In 2017 the System announced the successful completion of a $10 million scholarship campaign surpassing $26 million for scholarships and an additional $10 million for other priorities.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Since that time, fundraising across the system has increased by 300%.‬‬‬‬‬‬

Prior to joining the Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges, Adam served as a Senior Consultant for Dini Spheris, a leading national consulting firm that provides services in the areas of philanthropy, leadership, and performance. Working with clients from multibillion dollar hospital systems to million dollar non-profits, Adam provided ‭guidance in the planning‭ and execution‭ ‬‬of capital campaigns, ‭major gift programs,‭ annual giving, strategic planning, leadership development and training, data mining, and ‭advancement ‭services‭. Some of Adam’s clients included ACE Scholarships, Arrupe Jesuit High School, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Colorado, Colorado Public Radio, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Dallas CASA, Dallas Holocaust Museum, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, El Centro College, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Parker University, Texas Health Resources, Tulsa Community College, United Way of Larimer County, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Vail Mountain School, and YMCA of the Rockies.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Adam served as Deputy Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff for University Advancement at the University of Denver in support of the university’s $600 million capital campaign. In that role, he was responsible for daily management of a 50-member development team and supervision of a $7 million fundraising budget. Adam has served as a development officer with the University of Buffalo and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and as the Executive Director of the Madison County (Iowa) Chamber of Commerce.

Adam graduated from Lafayette College with an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering. He received a Master’s Degree in Student Personnel Administration from Columbia University and a MBA from the University of Buffalo.

Adam currently serves as a Chair of the Colorado Garden Foundation. In addition, Adam has served as a mentor for the Institute for Leaders in Development Program and board member/Chair for the Adirondack Camp Scholarship Fund.

Adam and his wife Melissa live in Highlands Ranch, Colorado with their two sons, Aiden and Carter.