Jonathan Meer Joins the MCF Team as Director of Development
Jonathan and his wife Elyse, in the Adirondack mountains, one of their favorite parks to enjoy with their three grown sons and two rescue dogs “Rascal” and “Happy”.
November 1, 2020
The board and staff at Monmouth Conservation Foundation have recently welcomed Jonathan Meer as the land trust's new Director of Development. Jonathan comes to MCF on a part-time basis following a successful career in academic fundraising, including Chief Advancement Officer roles at Rider and Monmouth Universities. At present he is the Senior Philanthropic Advisor for the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University and has served as a board member for a host of community organizations around the nation, making him an excellent addition to the MCF team.
Here are a few fun facts about Jonathan to help you get to know him.
What are some of your favorite parks or places to enjoy outdoors?
We spend a lot of time every year hiking in the Adirondack Park in upstate NY. Our base in the Park is Schroon Lake, about a half hour north of Lake George. In the Garden State, we've enjoyed the Mercer County Park system the most since we lived in Hopewell Township for 14 years before moving to Monmouth County in 2019. Our all-time favorite National Park is probably the Grand Canyon. We've spent some time at Sandy Hook and certainly look forward to getting to know the other parks here in Monmouth County!
If you could brag for a moment, what professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
My biggest professional accomplishment was the success of a $200 Million comprehensive campaign I designed and managed at University of the Pacific in California from 2000-2005. That was my first Chief Advancement Officer role and I learned so much about the importance of volunteers and how to motivate staff.
As a newer resident of Monmouth County, we hope you are enjoying all the great restaurants and downtown districts in the area. Do you have any favorites?
We love Stella Marina for pasta and Capitoline for pizza in Asbury Park. Taka is also a real treat. For breakfast, we love The Buttered Biscuit in Bradley Beach and, of course, Amy's Omelet House in Long Branch. We look forward to getting back to all of our favorite haunts post Covid-19.