John D. Held II

John D. Held II is a visiting assistant lecturer in the Dr. Persis E. Rockwood School of Marketing at Florida State University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Business. His teaching and research focus on philanthropy, relationship marketing, trust and donor behavior. Held is passionate about preparing the next generation of business leaders, while helping organizations and philanthropists build meaningful partnerships that create lasting impact.

Prior to joining the college’s faculty, he served as the Wertheim College’s chief development officer, where he was a member of Dean Hartline’s leadership team that helped secure the transformational $65 million naming gift from Dr. Herbert Wertheim and supported the launch of the college’s comprehensive $250 million campaign during a period of historic philanthropic growth.

Before joining Florida State University, John served as executive director of gift planning at Missouri University of Science and Technology. There, he provided strategic leadership for the university's gift planning program and played an integral role in the successful Rolla Rising campaign, which exceeded its $150 million goal by raising more than $423 million. Throughout his career, he has also held leadership positions in advancement at private universities in Iowa and with the Boy Scouts of America, building more than three decades of experience in fundraising, alumni engagement, campaign strategy and philanthropic advising.

Held earned his Doctor of Business Administration with a concentration in strategic management from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, where his research examined trust and the relational factors that influence alumni philanthropy.