AFP Memphis Chapter 2014 Annual Conference
August 14, 2014
The University of Memphis – University Center
Program (please see page 3 for speaker details)
8:00 – 8:30
Registration
8:30 – 9:15
Keynote Speaker, Arthur Criscillis
9:15 – 9:30
Break
9:30 – 10:30
Breakout Sessions
Session I – Laura Fredricks
Engaging Leadership and Volunteers
In this session we will explore the successfully proven ways and the language to use to
fully engage your leadership and volunteers when asking for money. Participants will
have ready-made tools to use to achieve immediate results when engaging leadership
and volunteers so that everyone in the organization is articulating, in priority order, the
organizations top funding needs.
Outcomes:
1. The importance of the in-person one-on-one meetings with leadership and volunteers
2. Exercise that will crystalize your organization’s top funding priorities
3. 12 things EVERY Board member can do in fundraising
4. The words Board members CAN HEAR when ASKING for money
5. FACT CARD you can create to share with everyone in the organization so that they are
articulating the same funding priorities
Session II – Arthur Criscillis
Personal Solicitation, Part I
Arthur will explore personal solicitations for major gifts, an abbreviated award-winning
seminar he has conducted for CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of
Education).
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:45 Breakout Sessions
Session I – Laura Fredricks
Ethics for the 21st Century Fundraiser
Session II – Arthur Criscillis
Personal Solicitation Part 2
11:45 – 12:00 Break
12:00 – 1:30
Lunch and Keynote Speaker Laura Fredricks
The Five ASKers
Over the years I have watched key patterns in people’s words, body language, dress,
and seat select when making an ASK. These patterns can be characterized in what I have
created “The 5 Askers.” It is important to know what type of ASKer you are, the type of
ASKer the person you ASK with, and which type of ASKer is most compatible for the
person you want to ASK!
In this HIGHLY interactive morning program we will cover the following:
1.
Step One – What are the characteristics of the 5 Askers and which type of asker
are you?;
2.
Step Two - What type of Asker is the person you are Asking with and do you
complement or clash with each other? ;
3.
Step Three – What is the ideal Asker or Asking team for the person you want to
ASK?
4.
Through exercises and illustrations demonstrate how each of the 5 Askers can
be successful. Askers with the right body language; voice inflection; convincing
words; attire; seating position; and new listening and recognition skills; and
5.
Learn how to apply these new skills from the moment your first meet the
person, not when you are ready to ASK
1:30 – 1:45
Break
1:45 – 2:45
Breakout Sessions
Session I – Robert F. Sharpe, Jr.
Trends in Major Gift Planning (and Planned Giving)
We are now in the sixth year of unprecedented change in the fundraising landscape.
The combination of a rapidly aging donor population, budget deficits, low interest rates,
stock market fluctuations, proposed new taxes on amounts given to charity, and the
elimination of the federal estate tax for 99% of Americans means inevitable changes in
how donors will make gifts, especially larger ones, in coming months and years. This
presentation will explore ways we can meet challenges and use them as opportunities
to help donors and their advisors structure gifts that will produce the most funds for
current, capital, and endowment purposes in the shortest period of time.
Session II – Addie McGowan
Using Social Media to enhance your fundraising program
2:45 – 3:00
Break
3:00
Kevin Kane
The importance of non-profits in our community
Kevin will explore the impact of non-profits in our community, especially related to
tourism and he will share some very exciting non-profit collaborations which will
improve our municipality
Speaker information
Arthur Criscillis, Ed.D
Arthur L. Criscillis, Ed.D., serves as a Managing Partner of Alexander Haas. Arthur brings over 25 years of
development and nonprofit experience to the Firm. Arthur moved from advancement work for colleges
and universities into consulting for the opportunity to work with and for a wide variety of colleges,
universities, and independent schools.
Prior to joining Alexander Haas, Arthur led the advancement programs for Purdue University College of
Science, Rhodes College and Centre College. At Purdue, Arthur provided the leadership for the College
of Science in the University’s $1.3 billion Capital Campaign.
Arthur was Dean of Planning and Development at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee where his
leadership during the College’s 150th Anniversary Campaign garnered $152 million against its goal of
$120 million and increased its unrestricted annual fund from $1.9 million to $2.9 million, with 50
percent alumni participation. He was instrumental in Rhodes’ securing a $35 million gift in April 2001 —
its largest ever. He also specializes in training volunteers, academic leaders, and staff for major gift
solicitations.
At Centre College, Arthur was the chief advancement officer. He planned and directed the silent phase
of a $60 million campaign, securing $42 million for a campaign that ultimately raised $72 million. He also
led the effort to increase leadership annual giving to the College which saw a 150 percent increase in
two years. Alumni participation exceeded 60 percent in each of his years at Centre.
Consistently garnering the highest accolades for his speaking, including the CASE Crystal Apple Award,
Arthur has chaired the CASE Conference on Major Gift Solicitation six times and the CASE Conference on
Successful Annual Giving Strategies two times. He has also served as faculty for the CASE Summer
Institute on Educational fundraising. Arthur has spoken at the Canadian Council for the Advancement of
Education annual conference and the Canadian Association of Independent School Development
Officers annual conference, as well as many CASE District conferences.
Arthur earned his doctoral degree in higher education from Vanderbilt University. He also holds the
Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and earned his bachelor’s
degree from The University of the Cumberlands.
In his free time, Arthur enjoys traveling and watching foreign and independent films. He especially
enjoys visiting New York, which he does several times a year to take in a Broadway show or visit a new
restaurant.
Laura Fredricks, JD
www.expertontheask.com
LAURA FREDRICKS is a multi-million dollar ASK-maker who, as Founder & CEO of THE ASK©, teaches
nonprofits and philanthropic professionals how to confidently, willingly and successfully ask for
charitable dollars. Fredricks is today’s leading authority on “How to A$K© for Money – and More of It!”
She has helped hundreds of organizations worldwide raise multi-millions through her unique approach
to fundraising. She is author of “THE ASK: How to ASK for your Nonprofit Cause, Creative Project and
Business Venture.”
As an attorney-turned-philanthropic advisor, LAURA FREDRICKS knows how to ASK. She comes from a
seasoned career in industries best known for making the most high profile of multi-million dollar A$KS –
law and philanthropy – and is the first to merge strategies from both professional sectors into a
mainstream practice now known as THE ASK©, available also for the business and consumer lifestyle
marketplace. This new practice has placed LAURA on the national and international speaking circuits at
conferences around the world from Amsterdam to Ann Arbor, Bologna to Boca Raton, Kenya to
Kentucky, Moscow to Montreal, Sydney to Seattle, plus Australia, Italy, and the Netherlands. THE ASK©
has also led LAURA to TV and radio appearances on local talk shows across the nation, and her expertise
featured in national publications. Her four books on “How to A$K© for Money – and More of It” have
become industry leaders. New books with “Asking Advice for Everyday Living” are coming soon.
Robert F. Sharpe, Jr., JD
Robert F. Sharpe, Jr. is a nationally recognized leader and authority in the field of philanthropy. As
Chairman of the Sharpe Group, Robert consults with educational, health, social service, and religious
organizations and institutions in implementing and improving their planned and major gift and
endowment development efforts. The Sharpe Group has worked with over 10,000 nonprofits
nationwide during its 50-year history.
Robert is chairman of the philanthropy editorial board of Trusts & Estates magazine and co-author of
the Model Standards of Gift Valuation. He has authored many articles and his remarks are regularly
featured in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Smart Money, CBS Market
Watch, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Trusts & Estates, Kiplinger’s and other national publications.
He is a frequent speaker for professional gatherings across the country.
Robert earned a bachelor’s degree with honors at Vanderbilt University and a J.D. at Cornell Law School.
In past years, he practiced law with a major law firm specializing in income, estate, and gift taxation and
corporate planning.
Addie McGowan
I am Addie McGowan, Associate Director of Social Media here at Bigfish. I am a proud native of
Midtown, Memphis and am thrilled to be a part of the great work we do for clients. I earned my BA in
Communication and Sociology in 2008 from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. Shortly after
graduation I moved back to Memphis and took my time exploring various professional passions in the
fields of marketing, social media and event planning. After two years of independent contracting work I
found my place in the Bigfish family in September 2010.
At Bigfish I oversee our Social Media Department, where we deliver full-service social media
management to our clients. I get to meet new and potential clients almost daily, and enjoy speaking
about social media at various universities, organizations, associations and events.
My fascination with social media extends far beyond 9-5. You could have found me on Facebook in
2004, and can catch me on Pinterest at all hours of the night. I love combining my knowledge of social
platforms with my passion for connecting with people, constantly striving for a deeper understanding of
this Participation Age we live in. I encourage our Social Media Department to look beyond status
updates and Tweets to make true connects with our clients' clients.
Kevin Kane
Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO
Kevin Kane is acknowledged face and voice of Memphis tourism. He is president and CEO of the
Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau and president of its subsidiary MMG LLC, which manages the
Memphis Cook Convention Center and the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. He is the immediate
past chairman of the board for Destination Marketing Association International, the central organization
for 650 CVBs in 30 countries around the world. He is an executive committee member of US Travel
Association and of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Since joining the CVB in 1991, Mr. Kane initiated the first hard sell of Memphis music to attract visitors.
The city’s music brand and iconic logo “Memphis – Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” was
created under his direction. He opened new visitor centers in Shelby County and established new sales
teams in DC, Chicago, London, and Germany. He created the Memphis Sports Council, to market the
city’s fast growing inventory of sports facilities.
Locally his service includes:











Past Chairman of Memphis Rock ‘N’ Soul Museum.
Executive Committee member and Past Chairman of the Blues Foundation.
Executive Committee member of Memphis-Shelby County Sports Authority.
Board Member of Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Association
Christian Brothers High School Board Member
Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Member
Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Circle Member
President of the 2009 AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
Junior League of Memphis’ Community Advisory Board member.
Member of the Tennessee Tourism Committee Appointed by Governor Haslam, the Memphis
Transportation Commission
University of Tennessee College of Medicine Advisory Board
Mr. Kane is a native of Memphis and a graduate of Christian Brothers High School and the University of
Memphis. He is an avid sports enthusiast, tennis player and golfer.