Session 70
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Michigan
Show Me the Money – Increasing your Campaign Pledge Redemption

Speaker: José De Jesús
Vice President, Hispanic Services
Guidance In Giving
Bayport, New York

Speaker: Michael V. Goodwin
President, Diocesan Services
Guidance In Giving
Bayport, New York

Moderator: Alma Benitez
Director of Stewardship and Development
Diocese of Yakima, Washington

Your campaign team has worked diligently and tirelessly to raise funds towards your goal. Your monthly statements are already being sent to your donors. How can our diocese, parish or school improve its redemption rate on those pledges? How can we empower our parishes to help facilitate the redemption process locally so they benefit from a more engaged and educated donor? This presentation will provide concrete tools and strategies to improve your pledge redemption and encourage donor engagement.

Mr. José De Jesús

José De Jesús serves as one of the vice presidents at Guidance In Giving, Inc., a nationally recognized stewardship and development company. He has spent the last 26 years working in the field of development and has traveled extensively throughout the United States teaching the concepts and precepts of Catholic stewardship. He served as director of stewardship and development for the Diocese of Saint Augustine, Florida. As a national speaker he helped the International Catholic Stewardship Council establish its first Spanish Track for the annual conference years ago.

Mr. De Jesus graduated from Queens College in New York City with a bachelor’s degree in music and psychology. He holds an MBA from Jacksonville University with a concentration in marketing. He has served as a certified catechist, music minister and youth minister for the Dioceses of Brooklyn, Orlando, and St. Augustine. He is also a motivational speaker and lecturer in the areas of communication, strategic planning, organizational development and men’s issues. He has been married to his wife, Rosemary, for 29 years and, with their three children, lives on Long Island, New York.

Mr. Michael V. Goodwin

Michael V. Goodwin is a native of Annapolis, Maryland. He attended Valley Forge Military Junior College where he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army (Infantry). After his commissioning he went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in business management from Loyola College in Baltimore. He and his wife, Christine, have a daughter and a son. They reside in Houston, Texas.

Mr. Goodwin is a founding partner of Guidance In Giving. He has been involved with fundraising for Catholic parishes, schools and dioceses since 1992. He oversees the diocesan division of the firm and is involved with sales and supervision of parish and diocesan accounts. He enjoys sports and is an avid fisherman.

Beverage Break with Exhibitors

2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Session 71
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Chicago Ballroom X
Clergy-to-Clergy: A Panel of ICSC Pastors Discusses Stewardship in their Parishes

Moderator: Reverend Joe Creedon
Pastor Emeritus
Christ the King Catholic Church
Kingston, Rhode Island

This clergy panel will discuss how stewardship has impacted their own lives and their parishes. They will also answer questions of priests and bishops in this session for clergy only.

The Reverend Joseph D. Creedon

Father Joe Creedon is pastor emeritus of Christ the King Parish in Kingston, Rhode Island where he served for 31 years. He studied theology at the University of Louvain in Belgium. Father Creedon was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law Degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1991. He was a Fellow of Psychiatry and Religion at the Menninger Clinic in 1980 when the clinic was still located in Topeka, Kansas.

Author of 14 Advent and Lenten daily meditations booklets, Father Creedon has recently published his first book, Stewardship: A Life-Giving Spirituality. In retirement, he has been a sought after speaker on the spirituality of stewardship. He has spoken to the priests of the Archdiocese of Southwark in London, the Diocese of Trenton in New Jersey and most recently to the priests of the Archdiocese of Toronto. In his very active retirement, Father Creedon enjoys giving parish missions and stewardship workshops.

In his 51 years of priestly ministry, Father Creedon has served the Diocese of Providence as an assistant pastor, high school teacher, campus minister and pastor. He also served two terms on the ICSC board of directors.

Session 72
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Chicago Ballroom IX
Engaging Millennial Givers

Speaker: Jeff Bachelor
Diocesan Account Representative
ParishSOFT
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Speaker: Ben Williams
Account Manager
ParishSOFT
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Moderator: Reverend Chris Heath
Pastor
St. Hedwig Catholic Church
Los Alamitos, California

Ever wonder what millennials are looking for in their charitable giving experience? As the largest living generation representing a quarter of the United States population, millennials account for only 11% of total charitable giving. This session will provide practical, how-to ideas to better connect and engage with the millennial giving community.

Mr. Jeff Bachelor

Jeff Bachelor has been with ParishSOFT for over six years. As a senior diocesan account manager, he consults with dioceses to streamline operations, increase efficiencies, and reduce risk. This includes strategic process reengineering, consultation, implementation, parish fulfillment, and product support. Prior to working at ParishSOFT, for over seven years, Mr. Bachelor was part of his parish’s high school youth ministry team that created, planned, promoted, and executed weekly catechetical nights along with multiple weekend retreats specifically designed for today’s youth.

Mr. Bachelor has served the mission fields in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Canada as well as the inner city of Detroit. He has spent a semester abroad in France and other parts of Europe and is a current graduate student at the University of Michigan. He and his wife, Emily, have one daughter. They are members of Christ the King Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they serve on the parish’s Marriage and Family Commission.

Mr. Ben Williams

Ben Williams has enjoyed working with ParishSOFT for eight years. As an account manager, he works with parishes to identify their needs, find solutions to meet those needs, and customize the options that best fulfill the demands of each organization. Mr. Williams completed an undergraduate degree from Bethany College in West Virginia and his master’s degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Jessica, have two children.

Session 73
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Chicago Ballroom VIII
Data-Driven Stewardship: We Only Know What We Know

Speaker: Tracy Earl Welliver
Director of Engagement
LPi
Greensboro, North Carolina

Moderator: Coni Perez
ICSC Conference Team
Houston, Texas

Knowledge is power! Our success in life is often determined by our choices. Choices can be based on assumptions or real data. The same is true for a parish. Too often we operate without the benefit of real data from reliable sources. Let’s explore the value of a data-driven parish, why it makes a difference, and how we are too often not following God’s lead, failing to take into account what is right before our eyes.

Mr. Tracy Earl Welliver

Tracy Earl Welliver is a Catholic author, speaker, consultant, and Gallup-certified Strengths coach with over 25 years of experience in parish ministry. He is currently the director of parish community and engagement for LPi where he manages their consulting and coaching services. He is the author of the Everyday Stewardship Book Series and reflections that appear in parish and diocesan media around the world. He has theology degrees from DeSales University and Duke Divinity School. He resides with his family in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Session 74
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Sheraton Ballroom III
Using Development Techniques to Deepen the Culture of Stewardship in Your Parish

Speaker: David Kissell
Chief Development Officer
Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio

Moderator: Linda Maccarone
Director of Parish Mission
St. Mary Catholic Church
Royal Oak, Michigan

More than just fundraising, a primary goal of a Catholic development effort is to deepen the culture of stewardship at a parish. This presentation explores the relationship between stewardship and development, and outlines ways to further stewardship as a way of life through development. Whether your parish has a development staff member, relies on volunteers, or has no one currently working on development, this session will provide practical tips to apply at your parish.

Mr. David Kissell

David Kissell serves as the director of stewardship and chief development officer for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He has been in this role for two years but has served in the stewardship department at the archdiocese for the past six years.

Prior to starting at the archdiocese in 2013, Mr. Kissell served as the director of development for St. John the Baptist Parish in Cincinnati for more than 11 years. While at the parish, he also had the opportunity to serve as a part-time development consultant for a Catholic development consulting firm. During his five years with this company, he worked with numerous parishes and schools across the country on a variety of development and stewardship initiatives.

Mr. Kissell holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism/public relations from Ohio University. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from the Athenaeum of Ohio. He and his wife, Kristy, have three boys and are parishioners at St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Cincinnati.

Session 75
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Ontario
¿Hacia Dónde Nos Dirigimos? Como el V Encuentro nos ayuda a planificar nuestros próximos pasos/Where Do We Go From Here? How V Encuentro Helps Us Plan Our Next Steps

Speaker: Joseph Citro
Vicepresidente
Greater Mission LLC
Tampa, Florida

Moderator: Jessica Orzechowski
Coordinadora de Servicios Parroquiales
Arquidiócesis de Detroit, Michigan

El Quinto Encuentro Nacional del Ministerio Hispano / Latino (“V Encuentro”) fue una reunión histórica de 3.000 líderes del Ministerio Hispano / Latino de diócesis, escuelas, universidades y organizaciones católicas de todo Estados Unidos. La corresponsabilidad fue uno de sus principales temas pastorales. Esta sesión nos mostrará cómo los resultados de V Encuentro pueden mejorar nuestra vida de corresponsabilidad y darnos orientación y dirección sobre los próximos pasos a seguir en nuestro viaje de corresponsabilidad individual y parroquial.

The Fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry (“V Encuentro”) was an historic gathering of 3,000 Hispanic/Latino Ministry leaders from dioceses, schools, universities and Catholic organizations from across the United States. Stewardship was one of its primary pastoral themes. This session will show us how the results of V Encuentro can enhance our life of stewardship and give us guidance and direction on the next steps to take in our individual and parish stewardship journey.

Mr. Joseph Citro

Joseph Citro, senior vice president of Greater Mission, has served the Catholic Church for almost 30 years directing diocesan stewardship and development offices, Catholic foundations in the Dioceses of St. Petersburg and Venice, and Catholic Charities agencies. In the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Mr. Citro served as the first foundation director building its structure, board, strategies for fund development and outreach to the parishes. During his tenure as executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation in Venice, Mr. Citro was able to quintuple the amount of funds under management and secure an additional $10 million dollars in expectations. Most of Mr. Citro’s foundation work was centered on parishes and he developed a unique educational effort for parishes that generate a significant number of high worth gifts. Mr. Citro is a former lecturer in Catholic University’s graduate school of social service and has frequently presented at annual ICSC conferences, in both English and Spanish language sessions. He has spoken internationally at conferences in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Grenada and Guatemala.

Señor Joseph Citro

Joseph Citro, vicepresidente senior de Greater Mission, ha servido a la Iglesia Católica durante casi 30 años dirigiendo oficinas de administración y desarrollo diocesanas, fundaciones católicas en las diócesis de San Petersburgo y Venecia, y agencias de Caridades Católicas. En la Diócesis de San Petersburgo, el Sr. Citro se desempeñó como el primer director de la fundación en la construcción de su estructura, mesa directiva, estrategias para recaudación de fondos y promoción a las parroquias. Durante su mandato como director ejecutivo de la Fundación de la Comunidad Católica en Venecia, el Sr. Citro pudo quintuplicar la cantidad de fondos bajo administración y asegurar $ 10 millones de dólares adicionales en expectativas. La mayor parte del trabajo de fundación del Sr. Citro se centró en las parroquias y desarrolló un esfuerzo educativo único para las parroquias que generan un número significativo de donaciones de alto valor. El Sr. Citro es ex profesor en la escuela de posgrado de servicio social de la Universidad Católica y se ha presentado con frecuencia en conferencias anuales de ICSC, en sesiones en inglés y español. Ha hablado internacionalmente en conferencias en Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Granada y Guatemala.

Session 76
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Superior
How to Work for the Church and Still Keep Your Faith

Speaker: Renée Underwood, CFRE
Associate Director of the Advancement Foundation
Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas

Moderator: Cande de Leon
Executive Director
Office of Mission Advancement
Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona

This session is just right for those who exercise leadership both at diocesan and parish levels. It gets to the heart of our day-to-day joys and struggles working for the institutional Church. Come and be prepared to experience a good mix of humor, practical tips and the kind of spiritual uplift we all need.

Ms. Renée Underwood, CFRE

Renée Underwood has served in stewardship, development and Catholic foundation management roles for dioceses since 2009. She currently has responsibility for annual and planned giving for the Diocese of Fort Worth as associate director of its Advancement Foundation. Current vice chair and board member of ICSC representing Region X, she has extensive experience in leading high performing teams. Prior to her nonprofit career, she served in advertising, marketing and executive management roles. Ms. Underwood holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University, an MBA from The University of Texas at Dallas and has completed additional graduate studies toward a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University New Orleans. Ms. Underwood is a widow, a mother and grandmother. She is a spiritual director, a Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem Commander and a Lay Dominican.

Session 77
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Erie
Master Class: Making the Meeting Matter  

Speaker: Robert Anderson

Moderator: Peter de Keratry
Director of Stewardship and Development
Archdiocese of Oklahoma, Oklahoma

I got the meeting, but now what?  Personal visits continue to be critical to successful development efforts.  Discussion, tips, goals, and strategies on making the most of the personal solicitation visit with prospects and donors.

Robert Anderson

Rob Anderson is the senior director of mission at Catholic Extension, a national nonprofit organization focused on supporting the growth of the Catholic Church in mission dioceses in the United States. Mr. Anderson works with Catholic Extension’s 85-plus mission dioceses to coordinate over $20 million in financial assistance provided annually to areas of each diocese’s greatest needs. He also manages the Seminarian Endowment Challenge, which has created over $9 million in long-term seminarian education endowments over the last four years, as well as leading initiatives for Catholic school leadership, prospect research, and Catholic Extension’s annual Lumen Christi Award. Mr. Anderson previously worked in development at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles (LMU) for 11 years. While at LMU, he raised over $4 million in total funding for LMU athletics, receiving three CASE VII awards for excellence in educational fundraising, and managed the university’s leadership donor programs’ annual giving team. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from LMU.

Session 78
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Huron
Unraveling the Mystery of Donor Advised Funds

Speaker: Dennis Gerber
Donor-Advised Fund Specialist
Knights of Columbus
New Haven, Connecticut

Moderator: Stephen Nicholl
Director of Development
Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey

Donor-advised funds have been around since the Great Depression, though they were not widely promoted until the 1990s. Today the use of donor-advised funds remains a relatively small part of philanthropy. But this method of charitable giving is becoming very popular. This session will explore the dynamics of donor-advised funds, how they work, why donors are using them as their preferred method of charitable giving and how a diocese or Catholic foundation can take advantage of their growing popularity.

Mr. Dennis Gerber

Dennis Gerber is the President and CEO of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, a newly created national community foundation that works with dioceses, religious communities, apostolates, and individual donors on philanthropic solutions. With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit management roles, he has specialized in complex philanthropic solutions for institutions as well as individuals since 2013. A graduate of Rowan University of New Jersey with a degree in legal studies, Mr. Gerber currently serves on multiple advisory boards including St. Anne’s Catholic School in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, is a director of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Club of New York, and a Leonine Fellow.