Rebecca E.

Hunter, CFRE
25936 W. Oak Avenue 847-838-3603 (H) 630-842-7602 (M)
Antioch, IL 60002 rhb2730e@westpost.net
Executive Director / Vice President with a 20 year track record in creating and
building not-for-profit businesses. Inspirational leader with passion for makin
g a difference and moving organizations forward. Strategic thinker and creative
problem solver who consistently sets and surpasses high professional goals.
Professional roles
Chief Development Officer
Cancer Wellness Center (regional), 2008 to present
Executive Director (founding)
Foundation of the American Thoracic Society (international), 2004 to 2007, then
new executive director at the ATS assumed role of Foundation executive director
Chief Development Officer
American Thoracic Society (international), 1998 to 2004, then created Foundatio
n of the American Thoracic Society and became its first executive director
Senior Director, Major Gifts
American Lung Association (national office), 1996 to 1998, internal promotion t
o American Thoracic Society, which was the medical section of the American Lung
Association
Director of Development
Better Boys Foundation/BBF Family Services (regional), 1994 to 1996, then recru
ited to national team at the American Lung Association
Executive Director (founding)
Pana Community Hospital Foundation (regional), 1992 to 1994
Assistant Dean for External Relations
College of Business and Administration (national), Southern Illinois University
at Carbondale, 1987 to 1992, then became executive director of the Pana Communi
ty Hospital Foundation
Assistant Director of Development
Washington University in St. Louis (national), 1983 to 1987, then recruited by
Foundation at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Areas of expertise
Strategic planning
Led strategic planning processes in concert with Boards of Directors to develop
3- and 5-year plans
Created long-term goals and objectives, with measurable outcomes, for existing
and new nonprofits
Tracked progress toward goals, revised strategies where necessary
Developed a national fundraising plan for local Lung Associations and the natio
nal ALA
Board leadership and development
Active member of leadership Cabinet, National Advisory Council, and Boards of D
irectors
Identified, recruited and provided training to Boards re: roles and responsibil
ities of Boards
Facilitated Board meetings and committee functions by developing agendas, guidi
ng and advising leadership, organizing collateral materials and directing work n
eeded to meet required outcomes
Team leadership
Reorganized units to address fiscal realities and/or to realign staffing with f
unctions
Acted in collaborative, participatory leadership models to encourage opinions f
rom multiple levels internal and external to the organization
Worked with team to establish group and individual goals, measurable outcomes,
coaching and mentoring opportunities, and required accountability for agreed-upo
n goals
Privileged to lead a staff as large as 15 at Saint Xavier University and challe
nged to succeed as a one-person operation at several organizations
Operations
Implemented systems and controls, including installation of Blackbaud informati
on systems
Instituted the first-ever policy and procedures manuals & created the first gif
t acceptance policies at several organizations
Supervised audits and preparation of 990s
Budgeting
Developed start-up budgets for entrepreneurial organizations
Engaged in line-item budget negotiations with colleagues
Managed budgets as large as $1.2 million
Communications
Outlined and wrote content for multiple newsletters and magazines
Conceptualized, edited and contributed to professional research journal
Revised and edited wine guide created as a donor stewardship piece for the ATS
Marketing
Print
Wrote weekly health column that was printed in multiple newspapers in central I
llinois
Created text and provided photography for annual reports
Radio & tv
Hosted weekly radio talk show to promote college programs and events
Wrote series of radio commercials that resulted in saving a college major from
being eliminated by tripling enrollments
Wrote and directed television public service announcements
Secured air time on community television stations to develop organizational awa
reness
Web
Conceptualized and developed content for the web site of the Foundation of the
American Thoracic Society, 95% of which is still in place today
Multi-channel
Developed marketing plan for recruitment of multi-cultural undergraduate studen
ts that incorporated print media and video
Identified representatives to be interviewed for ASTHMATTACK! donor cultivation
video, conducted interviews and worked with production company on editing to cr
eate a passionate, emotional appeal
Attracting philanthropy & other revenue
Capital campaigns
Led and/or supported 17 capital campaigns ranging from $1 to $36 million, at st
ate to national levels
Identified and focused volunteer leadership on strategies to successfully concl
ude campaigns
Conducted, with consultants, feasibility studies
Regularly exceeded individual fundraising goals (i.e. in 1997, goal of $600,000
; raised $1.1 million; 1998, goal of $1.1 million; raised $1.72 million)
Major & planned gifts
Instituted successful, active planned giving programs at five non-profits
Identified $700,000 irrevocable charitable remainder trust at the Cancer Wellne
ss Center to lower six-figure budget deficit for FY08
Annual giving
Built annual giving program at the American Thoracic Society from $28,000 in 20
02 to $2.2 million by 2007, including individual and corporate gifts of $775,000
and $200,000.
Increased the number of gifts to the ATS to 1250 by 2006, from 126 in 2002
Re-engaged over 500 past contributors (and counting) for 20th Anniversary appea
l at Cancer Wellness Center; ask of $20 with average gift of $43
Segmented LYBUNTS and SYBUNTS at all organizations
Achieved annual fundraising goals at Saint Xavier University for the first time
in six years in 2002:
Corporate and foundation relations
Researched corporations and foundations to identify appropriate prospects
Wrote grants for fundable projects that fit within grantor guidelines and NPOs
mission
Managed relationships and end-product from external grant writers for large-sca
le projects
Developed relationships within multiple units at the corporate levels to maximi
ze funding opportunities (i.e. pharmaceutical companies marketing departments pe
r drug, sales representatives per region, and foundations)
Government grants secured
Consulted with grant writer to secure $1 million Early Head Start grant
Wrote & received Chicago Community Development Block Grants in one year worth $
75,000
Developed relationships with township, city, state and federal government repre
sentatives to begin securing new revenue streams external to the philanthropic a
rena (i.e. Build Illinois grant of $50,000 to renovate building entrance to beco
me handicap accessible)
Donor stewardship
Devised money cant buy this privileges for high levels of giving
Regularly communicated in person, via telephone, and with printed materials on
progress-to-date for special projects as well as more general state of the organ
ization white papers
Managed stewardship opportunities and events for leadership team with major don
ors
Education
M.S. V Organizational communication & leadership, cum laude, Southern Illinois U
niversity, Carbondale, IL, 1991
B.A. V Mass Communications/journalism with honors, Southern Illinois University,
Edwardsville, IL, 1981
Presidential Scholar
Recent Professional Affiliations and Community Service
Association for Fundraising Professionals (formerly NSFRE)
Board member, Chicago chapter, 2009 election
Chairperson, CFRE Review Course, 2010
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) V 1991 to present (recertified in 2009 p
er 3-year cycle)
Fund Raising Analytics, course facilitator, December 2008 to present
Master Teacher, Faculty Training Academy, 2000 to present
Survey Course in Fundraising, 2000 to present: faculty, finish editor for instr
uctors manual, to name
just a few ways in which Ive been involved
Committee member, First Course Review Task Force, 2000
Mentor, Chicago area chapter, various years since 1994
Lake County Chamber of Commerce Womens Networking Group, co-chair, 2009 - 2010
Medical Society Fund Raising Network, 1999 V 2007
Association Foundation Group, 2002 V 2007, 2010
North Park University, Chicago, IL, Adjunct Faculty, NonProfit management, 2006
- 2008

Please request/see addendum for teaching experience, professional programs prese

nted and publications.