Chris McGown, J.D.

Chris has worked in non-profit development for more than 30 years, with much of that time at The Salvation Army.  He has worked in every area of development, with longer stints in Planned Giving and Communications; and he has been active in all facets of direct mail the entire time.   He has managed a personal portfolio of donors as well as teams of professional fundraisers.

Through years of experience and education – formal education along with ongoing training classes and seminars – Chris works to ensure that every person he meets is provided the best, most up-to-date, and accurate information possible to meet their needs.  

Chris has personal cultivation of more than $65 million in planned gifts, not including more than $120 million from his team.  In addition to the array of planned giving tools, Chris has also cultivated more than $95 million in outright gifts as part of annual and capital campaigns. 

With the belief that when the non-profit community is strengthened, every non-profit benefits, Chris has also consulted both professionally and in a volunteer capacity with a host of other non-profit organizations including special needs youth groups, character building programs, animal care organizations, and churches.   

Over the last decade, Chris has developed and honed a love of data.  From database structure and convention to data hygiene and querying.   Most importantly, understanding how data can inform both the story to be told and the most receptive audience for that data-drive story. 

Chris holds a bachelor’s degree education, a master’s in psychology, a master’s in marketing and a Juris Doctorate.

His other accomplishments include being a published author, an Eagle Scout, and an all-around great guy.  He lives Louisville, Kentucky with his beautiful and patient wife, Angela, and their two teenage boys.