University Times

Long-time Institutional Advancement staff member Abigail F. McGuire died Sept. 21, 2009, of liver failure. She was 69.

During a 30-plus year career in public relations and development at a number of educational institutions — including 18 years at Pitt —McGuire was known for her talent, friendliness and professionalism, colleagues said.

A New York City native, McGuire spent most of her youth in Tenafly, N.J., graduating as valedictorian of her high school class. She attended Wellesley College before completing her undergraduate degree in French at Chatham University. Later she earned a Master of Arts in English at Carnegie Mellon and a Master of Public Management degree from CMU’s Heinz School of Public Policy and Management.

McGuire’s first professional position (1975-79) was staff writer in CMU’s public relations department where, in addition to writing for the alumni magazine, she was responsible for media relations for the College of Fine Arts and the Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now the Tepper School of Business).

In 1979 McGuire joined the University of Iowa’s Office of Public Information as assistant director and subsequently director of Arts Center Relations. In that capacity she managed media relations, publications and special events associated with student theatre and music productions.

She returned to Carnegie Mellon in 1980 as a communications consultant.

During the 1980s, McGuire held a number of public relations positions in Pittsburgh, including director of community relations at Shadyside Hospital (1981-85); planning officer at Mellon Bank Corp. (1985-87), and director of public relations at Carnegie Library (1987-89).

While at Shadyside she was awarded top honors for the hospital’s quarterly magazine, Voice of Shadyside, from the Pittsburgh chapters of the International Association of Business Communicators and Women in Communication in each of the four years she served as its editor.

In 1991 McGuire came to Pitt as assistant director of development for the School of Arts and Sciences. She was responsible for managing the school’s annual fund, which she helped increase by 42 percent in one year by establishing a challenge grant.

She was promoted to major gifts officer in 2001, joining the team responsible for securing gifts from Arts and Sciences alumni and friends to the University’s capital campaign. In 2003 her responsibilities were extended to include coordinating individual major gifts for the University Honors College.

McGuire retired from Institutional Advancement in 2006, but continued to work part-time as a consultant on special projects at the Honors College. She organized the first Honors College reunion, handled special event logistics for its lecture series, served as a member of the interview committees for scholar candidates and edited the newsletter, Life Above the Neck.

Al Novak, vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement, said, “Gail was a true professional. She had the ability to empathize with alumni by focusing on humanity first. She was the kind of listener who made alumni feel comfortable to share their personal stories with her. She will truly be missed.”

Allie Quick, executive director for principal gifts, said McGuire was an avid Pitt fan and especially enjoyed attending men’s basketball games with her younger son, Michael.

“She also had a tradition of taking each of her granddaughters, Isabel, Gillian and Cristina, to New York City to celebrate their 10th birthdays,” Quick said. “This was her way of introducing them to NYC and sharing a piece of her childhood with them. In addition, she was always eager to introduce the girls to the arts community in Pittsburgh and regularly invited them on outings in the Cultural District.”

Outside the University, McGuire chaired the development committee and served on the board of the Renaissance and Baroque Society for two decades. She also served on the marketing committee of Pittsburgh Opera. She attended Chautauqua Institution every summer and recently established a scholarship at the Chautauqua Foundation to support young musicians.

In addition to her son Michael J. and her granddaughters, McGuire is survived by her son, Timothy W.; her daughter, Gretchen M. Ahrendt; siblings Cornelia Farnum and Peter Farnum, and nieces and nephews.

The family suggest memorial contributions go to Chautauqua Foundation John B. Yoder Music Scholarship (named for McGuire’s late long-time companion) or the University Honors College.

—Peter Hart