Quincy, Illinois, United States
I help mission-driven organizations raise more money, build stronger donor relationships, and grow their impact. For more than 12 years, I've led donor communications, annual appeals, and capital campaigns that have raised $120 million in total campaign support and $25+ million annually for nonprofits across the country. My focus is on major gifts, donor relations, and strategic communications -- helping teams bring their mission to life in a way that resonates with more donors and inspires long-term partnerships. I believe fundraising should be personal, purposeful, and deeply rooted in the values of the organization and its supporters. I am active with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Lilly School of Philanthropy, Nonprofit Marketing Network STL, and the International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC). Locally, I serve on the strategic planning board for our Catholic school system and support efforts to strengthen Catholic identity and vocations. My wife and I are raising our three children in Quincy, IL, where we're active members of St. Peter Catholic Church. I’m always open to connecting with others who are passionate about mission, generosity, and meaningful growth.
Through my solo consulting practice (strongermission.com), I work with a small number of mission-driven organizations providing fractional leadership and strategic support in fundraising, donor engagement, and communications. My consulting work focuses on helping advancement teams clarify goals, deepen donor relationships, and execute campaigns or programs that drive meaningful results. Whether partnering directly with organizational leaders or supporting larger initiatives through partner firms, I serve as a trusted advisor during times of transition, growth, or major fundraising efforts. Clients turn to me for practical guidance, thoughtful strategy, and high-impact messaging that strengthens fundraising results without overcomplicating the process. My approach is relationship-driven, rooted in experience, and tailored to each organization’s unique mission and needs.
Leading advancement strategy and team development at Quincy University during a critical period of transition and growth. I provide executive-level guidance across all core functions of advancement -- including major gifts, alumni engagement, annual giving, and campaign planning -- with a focus on building stronger donor relationships, aligning internal teams, and increasing philanthropic support. In this role, I work closely with the university president and cabinet to elevate our fundraising and alumni relations efforts, while also supporting long-term campaign readiness and strategic communications.
As a Major Gift Officer at Quincy University, I collaborate with the President and VP of Advancement to cultivate donor relationships and secure significant gifts to advance the mission of the university. My people-first approach to fundraising emphasizes building strong relationships, actively listening to donors and connecting them with initiatives that align with their philanthropic goals. I to helping donors make gifts that are both personally fulfilling and create lasting benefits for Quincy University and the students we serve.
In my current role, I serve as project lead, providing planning study and campaign management services to nonprofit clients. I am responsible for conducting in-depth interviews with prospective donors, crafting detailed communication plans and developing campaign materials. In addition, I manage and train leaders and volunteers on solicitation techniques and best practices and implement segmented fundraising strategies to appeal to all donor constituencies.
Henning Communications is a leading strategic communications firm based in St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in marketing and philanthropic communications for nonprofit and faith-based organizations. During my tenure, we extended the firm's national presence, expanded our digital communications services, met or exceeded all client fundraising goals, and developed new strategies for engaging unresponsive audiences.
As vice president, I was responsible for new business development, team leadership, client relations and production oversight. I developed and implemented a content marketing strategy that generated a 20% increase in inbound inquiries and substantial new business in a two-year period. In addition, I led efforts to build a national reputation for our firm through speaking engagements, conference sponsorships and the publication of thought leadership resources for prospective clients.
In this role, I served as the lead account executive for eight major nonprofit clients, overseeing the strategic planning and creative development of multi-channel marketing campaigns and donor communications programs. I worked closely with a team of art directors, designers, photographers, videographers, copywriters, social media strategists and production planners to help advance the missions of great organizations.