Pursuant Welcomes Master Fundraiser Bill Lively as Executive Counsel
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 03, 2015 -- Pursuant, a full-service fundraising agency dedicated to helping the world’s leading nonprofit organizations, is pleased to welcome Bill Lively to the team as senior executive counsel. Bill comes to Pursuant with almost fifty years of high dollar fundraising experience. At Pursuant, he will advise internal teams on fundraising strategy, major donor development, campaign counsel, and philanthropy. He will also work on a limited basis with clients reaching for truly transformational goals.
“We are incredibly excited to have Bill join Pursuant in our effort to help organizations raise more money and ultimately impact more lives,” said Pursuant’s CEO Trent Ricker.
Lively joins Pursuant with a lifetime of incomparable experience. In 2013, Bill retired from the National Geographic Society where he served as senior vice president of Development. During his tenure, the Society launched its first comprehensive campaign, booked the largest volume of gift income in its 125-year history, confirmed the largest gift since its founding, and appointed its first international volunteer organization yielding $3 million in annual membership dues.
From 2009 to 2011, Lively served as president and CEO of the 300-member North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee. The Committee designed, implemented, and managed a comprehensive plan for the first Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium, raising more than $25 million dollars in sponsorships. The Committee also oversaw creating, funding, and operating the Super Bowl’s first education program involving 45,000 children and producing a concert series with performances by Faith Hill, Sting, and Tim McGraw.
Lively served as founding president and CEO of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, later renamed the AT&T Performing Arts Center, from 2000 to 2008. He designed, implemented, and managed a volunteer-led campaign to raise $350 million to construct the Center. During his eight years as president and CEO, the Center raised in excess of $334 million, including 129 gifts of $1 million and above, the most gifts committed at the million dollar and above threshold to build cultural facilities in America’s history.
For 25 years, he served on the faculty and in the administration of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, serving the as the university’s vice president for development, alumni relations, public affairs, and lecture programs during the final seven years of his tenure. In addition to creating several programs for the university throughout his tenure, he designed and was the director of the campaign for SMU, which at the time of his departure had raised $280 million.
Not only is Bill a gifted fundraiser, he’s also an accomplished musician. Between 1975 and 1988, he served as director of the Dallas Cowboys Band and director of Game Day Entertainment at Texas Stadium. From 1988 to 1997, he served as executive entertainment producer. He produced entertainment for Super Bowls XII and XIII.
“I’m so pleased to be joining Pursuant at this juncture in my career,” Lively said. “I have been impressed with Pursuant for quite some time and I’m delighted to bring my experience to this forward-thinking organization.”
Pursuant is truly thrilled to have the knowledge, experience, and giftedness of one of the best high dollar fundraisers of our time on board. “Bill is one of the most accomplished fundraisers in the nonprofit industry. I have no doubt that his knowledge and experience will be a tremendous asset for our clients,” said Ricker.
The Pursuant Group (http://www.pursuant.com), based in Dallas, Texas, is a technology-driven, comprehensive fundraising consultancy serving the world's leading nonprofit organizations across the entire donor pyramid. Since 2001, Pursuant has helped thousands of organizations raise billions of dollars. Pursuant partners with health and human service organizations, educational institutions, athletic programs, hospitals, faith-based organizations, and churches to impact lives through intelligent data, proven strategies, and award-winning creative to grow and sustain revenue. For more information, visit http://www.pursuant.com
Hilary Sutton, Pursuant, http://www.pursuant.com, +1 (214) 866-7700, [email protected]
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