Jon Keates, vice president for institutional advancement at Occidental College from 1999 to 2007, died April 19, 2024, at his home in Altadena. He was 80.
Jon was one of then-President Ted Mitchell’s first hires, coming to Oxy after 16 years as vice president for development and external affairs at Claremont McKenna College. During Jon’s tenure, overall giving to Occidental grew from under $9 million to more than $25 million annually. Of the College’s 10 all-time best fundraising years up to that time, seven happened on Jon’s watch. Jon and his team played a pivotal role in restoring Occidental to solid financial footing at a critical juncture in the College's history.
As then-Board of Trustees Chair Dennis Collins P'94 noted in 2007, “Jon’s skill as a fundraiser—perfected over many years at some of the best institutional advancement offices in higher education—has contributed enormous dividends to Occidental. … He has set a new standard for the College and we shall miss his energy, his competitive spirit, and his unique sense of fun and good cheer.”
After leaving Occidental, Jon worked at USC as senior associate dean for advancement in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. At the time of his passing, he served as chief philanthropic counsel to the president at La Salle College Preparatory in Pasadena.
Jon is survived by his two daughters, Dages and Bailey; his brother, James; his sisters, Shelley and Joanne; and his longtime partner, Thanh. A memorial service will be held in the coming weeks. The Occidental College flag was flown at half-staff in his memory on April 23.
