Donald A. Campbell, Jr., CFRE
Chairman Emeritus
Don Campbell formed Campbell & Company in July 1976, and guided the Company to national prominence as this country’s leading nor-for-profit fundraising, marketing and executive search firm. He became Chairman in 1995 and retired from active management in 2006. During his 45 years of campaign and development experience, he personally has been associated with campaigns and programs that have generated over $3 billion in philanthropy.
Don is currently Incoming Chairman of the Friends of the Wilmette Public Library; Member of the Board of Governors of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society; Member of the Advisory Board his Fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon; Member of the Campaign Advisory Committee of the Wilmette District 29 High School Science Building Campaign; Member of the Advisory Committee of Northwest Community Hospital’s Youth Center; and a “Kitchen Cabinet” Advisor to Executive Director of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Previously, he served as organizing Chair of the Center on Philanthropy’s Board of Governors; As Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society; As a two term Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP); As Chairman of the AFP Foundation Board of Directors; and more recently, a member of AFP’s National 50th Anniversary Committee; As a member of Board of the New Trier High School Educational Foundation. He is also past Chairman of the Development Committee of United Way of Chicago, and past President of the Chicago Chapter of the AFP where he remains involved as an organizing member of the Chapter’s new Philanthropic Ambassadors Program.
In February of 2006, he was presented with the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Founder’s Medallion for his many contributions to the Association and the profession. In 2002, Mr. Campbell was honored by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University with the Henry A. Rosso Medal “For Lifetime Achievement in Ethical Fund Raising”. He is also the recipient of Indiana University-Purdue University’s “Spirit of Philanthropy” award given in 2000, and the recipient of the AFP Chicago Chapter’s first President’s Award for distinguished service to the fundraising profession. In 1993, he was honored by AFP National, as the Outstanding Fund Raising Executive of the Year.
Don is sailed competitively for nearly 50 years, having raced the Chicago to Mackinac Race 26 times (winning it three times) and earned “Boat of the Year” titles in Chicago several years running.
As an avocation, he has constructed six new seven figure homes on Chicago’s North Shore.
He earned his BBA from Fenn College (now Cleveland State University) in 1959 with a major in marketing.
Today, he is considering the idea of retirement while continuing to consult; serving on selected Boards; continuing to venture into real estate development and investment; travelling and allocating much of his time as possible to being “Dad” to his terrific daughter, Kimberly.
