Art Wallhausen's retirement from Southeast Missouri State University in August is opening doors for changes.

For Karen Grebing, it means stepping into a newly created role — director of marketing and university relations. She was director of marketing and development. Her new job is part of a merger of marketing and university communications offices, all run by Wayne Smith, vice president for university advancement and executive director of Southeast's foundation.

"Karen's demonstrated, in her two or three years at the university, that she's an excellent manager, a people person," Smith said. "She's great with developing people. She has a great marketing background from her time in the banking world."

Grebing came to Southeast after a 26-year career in bank marketing. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo.

Since 2006, Grebing has led university marketing initiatives aimed at alumni relations and the foundation's fund-raising goals, which included print, online, video and other communication projects. She's managed design and content for the foundation and alumni Web sites as well as www.iAMsoutheast.com. Grebing also directed several fundraising programs.

Her new job includes managing, developing and implementing the university's marketing and branding strategies, marketing, internal and external public relations, including www.semo.edu.

Grebing said she's excited about the new venture because the merger increases flexibility in an already strong team to strengthen Southeast's presence in the marketplace.

She said a comprehensive plan to promote the Southeast brand will reach "prospective students, current students, parents donors, alumni and community members at large."

"Brand management is a big part of this piece. If you don't guard the brand and let people use it in a variety of ways, it gets diluted," Smith said.

The merger includes moving the university relations offices to the fourth floor of the new Alumni Center to be closer to the advancement division. Smith said he's meeting with the newly formed division Thursday to talk about the future.

"It's critical that, if we're putting two organizations together, one of which I used to manage, that the other people don't feel slighted in any way," he said.

Diane Sides, tapped to fill Wallhausen's role as associate to the president, is the former director of university relations.

The university continues its search for a development specialist.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127