Brydon M. DeWitt

Brydon M. DeWitt, President of DeWitt & Associates, Inc., has been a development professional for more than 40 years. Mr. DeWitt began his development career in 1973 at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia, and served as the chief development officer from 1975-1990. During that period the College successfully completed two major capital campaigns and significantly increased its annual and major giving programs. In 1990, he accepted the invitation of Gonser Gerber Tinker Stuhr, a development consulting firm in Chicago, Illinois, and began providing counsel to a variety of nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. In 1995, he left the firm to establish DeWitt & Associates and continue providing counsel in fundraising and public relations to a diverse group of clients.

In addition to consulting, Mr. DeWitt has made presentations and conducted seminars/workshops for conferees and governing boards. Topics have ranged from basic development principles to board development to building effective major gifts' programs. The Illinois Hospital Association, American Association of Christian Colleges and Seminaries, AFP of Memphis, Tennessee, and the Virginia Fund-Raising Institute have been among the organizations that he has addressed.

He has also taught courses for Virginia Commonwealth University ("Raising Major Funds for Capital Needs" 10/2001 and 5/2002 - Especially for Nonprofits, Certificate Program) and the University of Richmond ("Building a Powerful Board That Can Raise Money" 11/2001; "Jumpstarting a Stalled Campaign" 2/2002; "Successful Capital Campaign Planning" 4/2002 - Office of Community and Professional Education, Institute on Philanthropy). This fall, Mr. DeWitt is teaching an elective course for VCU marketing majors entitled "Nonprofit Marketing Service-Learning." In October, he will also teach a noncredit one-day course -- "Telling Your Organization's Story" -- for the University of Virginia's School of Professional and Continuing Studies in Charlottesville.

In 1996, Mr. DeWitt began writing and publishing The Development Companion, a quarterly educational newsletter for presidents, board members, and development officers. Each issue is dedicated to a single topic and provides a step by step approach to the operation of a successful development program. The Nonprofit Companion, a monthly newsletter for CEO's and Board members of nonprofit organizations, has been published since 2012. Go to: http://dewittandassociates.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=59 to access back issues.

Mr. DeWitt holds a BA degree in English from Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, Virginia, and an MFA in Theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals -Central Virginia, Virginia Association of Fund-Raising Executives, the Virginia Gift Planning Council, and the Rotary Club of Innsbrook.