With over 40 years in higher education advancement, Jeff McLain began his career as an Assistant Development Officer upon his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in English from Baylor University. The opportunity to travel the state of Texas to steward donors for their support fit well with his natural skills and became a springboard for a career in higher education.

After that one-year Baylor internship, he joined The University of Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering.  During his 15 years as a Longhorn, he expanded his fundraising expertise to include individual major gift work, corporate and foundation relations, annual funds, planned giving, prospect management, board and volunteer management, proposal writing, and publications.

Texas Tech called and he joined The Horizon Campaign, which was already in progress.  The campaign ended in 2001 with a total of $511 million, surpassing the goal of $500 million. 

In the summer of 2005, he accepted an opportunity to join the LSU Foundation, months before the historic Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana.  During his time with the LSU Foundation, gifts and pledges nearly quadrupled.  LSU successfully completed Forever LSU, a $750 million campaign for LSU institutions located on the Baton Rouge campus.  Despite four hurricanes, an economic downturn, and the Deep Water Horizon event, the campaign closed with $798 million.  While at LSU, he earned a Master in Mass Communication.

After a brief time in northeast Ohio, he returned to Texas as Senior Director of Gift Planning at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. In his time at Texas A&M-Kingsville, he was part of the team that closed the largest individual gift in the school’s history – a $19.5M planned gift of a working Texas ranch. Twenty months ahead of schedule and during a global pandemic, the university closed the largest comprehensive $100 million campaign with gifts and pledges exceeding $114 million.

McLain has been involved with CASE most of his career as a participant, presenter or planner.  Service and honors include:

• CASE International Board of Trustees, District IV Representative, 2011 – 2014
• CASE District IV New to the Advancement Profession Preconference Workshop Chair, 2020 – 2023
• 2013 CASE District IV INVINCIBLE Conference Chair
• 2011 CASE District III and IV FUSION Conference, Philanthropy Track Co-Chair
• CASE District IV Scholarship Chair, 2007 – 2009
• 2013 National CASE Circle of Excellence Awards – Bronze Award for CASE District IV Conference Promotions
• 2010 National CASE Circle of Excellence Award - Silver Award Forever LSU Campaign
• 2010 National CASE Circle of Excellence Awards - CASE-Wealth Engine Awards for Educational Fundraising for Overall Performance
• 2007 CASE Grand Award – Institutional Related Projects and Special Events, CASE District IV – Forever LSU Launch Event
• 2003 CASE Grand Award – Publications General Institutional Literature, CASE District IV – The Horizon Campaign Final Report
• 2003 CASE Grand Award – Visual Design, Annual or President’s Report, CASE District IV – The Horizon Campaign Final Report

Active in his profession, McLain is a former CFRE, certified fundraising executive.  He has held offices in local chapters of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, including serving as president of the Baton Rouge AFP Chapter and the Lubbock AFP Chapter.  He is the immediate past President of the Charitable Gift Planners of Houston Board of Directors. He earned his Chartered Advisory in Philanthropy (CAPÒ) certification in 2022.

In 2011, he was honored as the Outstanding Professional Fundraiser for the Baton Rouge Area Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

A native of Plainview, Texas, his family was involved in agriculture as both cotton farmers and cottonseed delinters. His daughters are CASE District IV universities, LSU, and Oklahoma City University graduates.