New Chief at S.D. United Way

Terry (Hayes) Riggins has been appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of United Way of San Diego County. She is responsible for all internal agency operations including fund raising, fund distribution and service programs.

Riggins, a native of Seattle, joined United Way of San Diego County in 1984 as associate executive director for planning, allocations and agency relations. In January, 1988, she was promoted to executive vice president of marketing and strategic planning and assumed her new post in September.

Previously, Riggins worked for the state of Washington as a regional planner with the Department of Social and Health Services. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a masters in social work, with an emphasis on planning and community organization, from the University of Washington in Seattle.

Riggins, 42, first became involved with United Way as a volunteer 15 years ago. She rose to the head of planning, allocations and community relations for the United Way in Tacoma, Wash.

“I really like being able to respond to the changes and needs in a community,” Riggins said. “And that’s what the United Way does, through fund raising and service programs.”

In her new position, Riggins said, she is devoting much of her time to a three-year fund-raising and marketing campaign called Can-Do. United Way hopes to raise $34 million by 1991, she said.

“We’re trying new initiatives, reaching out to the new business sectors in the San Diego economy,” Riggins said. “We’re also working on other ways, through new leadership giving and doing a better job with our existing donors.”

Riggins lives with her husband in Tustin, about 80 miles north of San Diego. She says she doesn’t mind the daily three-hour round-trip commute because it allows her to stay in San Diego with the job she loves.