SENIOR CONSULTANTS

Gloss & Company offers experienced senior consultants who become actively involved in the planning and solicitation of gifts, grants, multi-year pledges, planned gifts and other types of contributions. Our senior consultants have over 274 years of experience working with a variety of small, medium and large nonprofit organizations, foundations, governmental agencies, communities, associations, businesses and other groups. When combined, they have raised over $1,019,500,000 for various charities and foundations throughout their careers.

We have the experience in designing and overseeing campaigns for a variety of large and small nonprofit organizations. Our senior consultants offer:

• The depth and breath of experienced gained from conducting many fundraising campaigns.  

•  The 
  know-how and capacity to impose the correct amount of discipline will help achieve goals

             and remove various roadblocks that might surface during a campaign.

• The knowledge about the long-term consequences of what we recommend. That is why we get

            directly involved in the planning and solicitation of donations, grants, multi-year pledges and

            planned gifts for annual, major gift, capital, endowment and planned gift campaigns.

• The experience to launch special events and create public/private partnerships.

• The ability to combine cause-related marketing with corporate grant and underwriting activities.

Gloss & Company will be diligent, thoughtful and creative in making recommendations. That is why we charge our senior consultants to:

The challenges we face are not simply monetary. We believe our fundraising expertise, insights and ability to adapt can provide your organization with the necessary problem-solving skills to address or overcome existing organizational challenges. Our senior consultants are individuals with moral integrity, vision, high energy and well-developed interpersonal skills. They are outgoing, communicate effectively in written and oral form. They listen and give advice, while respecting the abilities of others. Each person is detailed-oriented, task proficient and able to manage a variety of tasks and responsibilities at the same time. Each one is resilient and ready to handle challenges, diverse personalities, deadlines and aggressive fundraising goals and organizational objectives.

SENIOR CONSULTANTS

Larry Gloss, Founder and President of Gloss & Company, is a Colorado native. He started his international fundraising activities in the Peace Corps in South American for nomadic Indian tribes in the jungle. While he was a graduate student in Washington, D.C. he conducted prospect research for the National Center for Voluntary Action and became the National Director of the National Congress on Volunteerism and Citizenship, 1976. Since that time, he planned, managed and implemented sophisticated fundraising, management, marketing and strategic planning activities for over 146 organizations. He has planned and spearheaded multi-million dollar capital and endowment campaigns which generated nearly $96,000,000 in donations, grants, multi-year pledges and planned gifts. He has advised, trained and motivated fundraising staff and volunteers in order to reach specific campaign, organizational and project goals.

Larry has received over 50 awards, honors and certificates of appreciation from past clients and other organizations. He remains active in various community organizations, charities and professional associations including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Rocky Mountain Advanced Development Executive Forum, Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable, Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, The Rotary Club of Denver, Center for Tax Policy, Chamber of Commerce, Direct Mail Marketing Club, and Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement. He has also been recognized in the Marquis “Who’s Who in the West,” “Who’s Who in America,” “Who’s Who in the World,” and the “Who’s Who in Finance and Industry.” Most recently, he was also nominated for the "International Who’s Who of Professionals."

He taught fundraising, prospect research, and proposal writing classes for several years at the Technical Assistance Center and Metropolitan State College of Denver. For six years, he was a mentor for the Leadership Development Program for the Community Resource Center in Denver. In addition, he has conducted numerous feasibility studies and has actively solicited major gifts from individuals, corporations, service clubs, and foundations.

Gary D. Schrenk, CFRE, was most recently the Director of Development of the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped (NFDH) headquartered in Denver, Colorado. He developed a national fundraising program for NFDH and prepared the organization to undertake a $25,000,000 operating and endowment campaign.  Prior to his position with NFDH, he was president of the North Colorado Medical Center Foundation in Greeley from 1987 until 2007 and raised over $50,000,000.  He managed a development staff of ten and fifty-two program personnel.  During his 35 years in the nonprofit field he has served as the top development officer for Denver Children's Hospital, Denver Art Museum, Western Region of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Denver Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. When all of these charities are combined he has helped raise over $100,000,000 for these worthy charities.

Gary was also a member of the international board of directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals from 2003 to 2007 and prior to that time served for six years on the board of the AFP International Foundation for Philanthropy. He served as national chairman of the AFP Every Member Campaign. Gary was the president of AFP/Colorado Chapter in 1984.  He also served as president of the AFP/Colorado Chapter Northern Division (now the AFP Northern Colorado/Wyoming Chapter).  In addition, Gary served as treasurer of both CAFR and of the AFP/Colorado Chapter.  He has been a member of the board of directors of since 1979 currently serving as Vice President of Government Relations. 

Gary was among those who helped organize the Colorado Chapter’s Senior Development Forum to support educational offerings for senior members in the development profession. He has also been a member of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy for fifteen years, having served on the regional cabinet and as a member of the AHP Foundation Board. He was a founder of the Rocky Mountain Philanthropy Fund, the original philanthropic arm of CAFR and served as its first chairman.  He was a founding board member of the Colorado Association of Nonprofit Organizations (CANPO) now known as the Colorado Nonprofit Association (CNA). Gary has been a Rotarian since 1988.

Steve Mast has over 30 years of extensive management experience. He has supervised over 1,500 employees, created successful staff motivation programs, designed sponsorship programs, managed strategic planning processes and played a lead role in the successful campaign to approve a Denver bond issue.

Most recently he was the Director of Economic Development with the city of Glendale, Colorado. He worked on a variety of funding opportunities from public and private sources resulting in more than $3,500,000 in grants. He initiated a program whereby the city and business owners could jointly market the office space within the city. Steve made numerous public presentations to enhance the community presence thereby increasing the city’s revenue potential.

Prior to his economic development activity with Glendale, he managed and was vice president for both small and large companies. These businesses included Elitch Gardens, United Bank of Denver and Cherry Creek National Bank. Steve has also served on numerous board and advisory boards including Denver Kids, The Salvation Army and YMCA. His involvement with these charities involved fundraising campaigns for both capital and operating funds. He solicited corporate support, secured partnerships and conducted needs assessments, board orientations and training sessions. Steve is a past President of the Rotary Club of Denver and a member of Rotary for the past 29 years.

John M. Hoskins has been involved in planned giving, direct marketing and public relations for the past 35 years. His career includes working with McGraw-Hill, Inc., The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Foundation, The National Benevolent Association and most recently with St. Francis Community Services based in Salina, Kansas. His many accomplishments include raising over $50,000,000 in planned gifts; $45,000,000 from annual giving direct mail campaigns and $17,000,000 from capital campaigns. John has also designed and implemented donor stewardship programs through integrated direct marketing campaigns. He is also a Certified Direct Marketer and a frequent speaker at several national conferences.

John is a member of Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy, the Association of Lutheran Development Executives, Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association and the Professional Writer’s Alliance. He attended the Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas and secured another degree from the MidAmerican Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas.

Forrest E. Craver, Juris Doctor brings more than 35 years of fundraising experience to our clients.  He is a prolific copywriter with more than 1,200 highly successful direct mail packages to his credit and has raised over $150,000,000 during his distinguished career. He has written numerous case statements and feasibility studies for colleges, hospitals and seminaries.

Forrest is an award-winning direct mail copywriter. The Direct Marketing Association recognized his achievements for a Native American Rights Fund prospecting package "Columbus 1492", and also for his Earth Day prospecting package which included the Earth Day environmental pledge. This package, mailed to millions of citizens across America, enrolled hundreds of thousands of new members and played a significant role in the seeding and rooting of thousands of local Earth Day annual events.

For 14 years, his direct mail marketing firm provided high performance prospecting, renewal, sustainer and high dollar appeals to more than 20 groups including Stand for Children, The Christian Children's Fund, Bread for the World, The Florence Nightinggale Initiative for Global Nursing, Defenders of Wildlife, The Wilderness Society, Church World Service, The National Council of Churches, the Servant Leadership School, Methodists United for Peach with Justice and The Center for Science in Public Interest.

For 15 years, he was a leader in the creative department of Craver, Mathews, Smith, the nation's largest progressive direct mail consulting firm. He trained and supervised three copywriters, taught all aspects of fundraising for The Fundraising School of California and the Foundation Center in Washington, D.C. and lectured at annual conventions of national groups including the ACLU and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.  His clients included Amnesty International, CARE, the Sierra Club, the Cousteau Society, Women's Campaign Fund, National Women's Political Caucus, NOW and Habitat for Humanity.

Mary Underwood fundraising career spanning 28 years. She raised in excess of $80 million for higher education, national health care and social service agencies.  Her progressive experience includes capital and major gift campaigns, grantsmanship, foundation and corporate relations, direct mail, special events, board development, and volunteer and staff management.  She has been actively involved with the Association of Fundraising Professionals serving on, and chairing, a number of committees and as well as serving as president of the local chapter.  She coordinated and proctored two exams for the Certified Fund Raising Executive certification and coordinated the Rocky Mountain Philanthropy Institute for four years.

Gary Bidne has over 30 years of fundraising and counseling experience. He started his career with Community Counseling Services based in New York City. He became responsible for fourteen western states and four western Canadian provinces and successfully supervised over six hundred volunteers.  He has successfully completed numerous feasibility studies and capital campaigns throughout the United States, raising in excess of $300,000,000 for capital, program and endowment purposes.  Clients have included colleges, foundations, human service agencies, long-term healthcare and religious organizations. 

Gary has an extensive background working closely with executive staff, management teams, board members and volunteers. He successfully managed the development of an $8,000,000 project consisting of a 112 unit senior housing facility in the Twin Cities, Minnesota.  He has also secured in excess of $140,000,000 in long-term funding for independent living, assisted living and nursing home projects for the long-term healthcare industry. 

He has been called upon to speak at numerous national conferences including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aged (AAHSA), and All Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE). Gary is working from his offices in Minnesota and Arizona.

Thomas J. Weaver (CFRE -1984-2008) is a dynamic, results-oriented fundraising professional with over 30 years of diverse fundraising and management experience. He is a strong team builder who engages all levels in fundraising programs with extraordinary results. He has excellent sales and marketing experience, including strategy development, marketing initiatives and development training. His other skills include being a problem solver and an outstanding operational manager. Tom has worked with the American Red Cross as a State Financial Development Officer covering three states and special development assignments, a board member of Pueblo County United Way, consultant to Otero Junior College and other charities in Southern Colorado. Tom has assisted in conducting feasibility studies and presentations to potential clients. He recently consulted with NeigborWorks performing board orientation and major gift solicitation. For the past two years he has consulted with Family Promise/Interfaith Hospitality Networks out of Summit, New Jersey, implementing board orientation and strategic development planning. Tom works out of this office in Pueblo, Colorado.

We also hire other development professionals, grant writers, research consultants, graphic designers, multi-media and film experts and support personnel for selected projects and national campaigns. This enables us to reduce our campaign and consultation fees and at the same time, secure the highest qualified professional support for a particular project or client. The cost savings are passed on to our clients.