My Expertise
My current role
I co-founded and serve as CEO of The Signatry: A Global Christian Foundation. With The Signatry, I work to change the way people view and practice generosity. I have led the foundation’s efforts from its beginning in 2000 to now sending out over $2.5 billion in grants.
I work with families, individual givers, ministries and financial advisors. I specialize in working with business owners who are looking to sell or transition their businesses to the next generation. I also teach ministries how to work with major donors.
My professional career
Prior to starting the foundation in 2000, I worked as a partner with Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi, a large law firm in Kansas City, and later with Sanders Conkright & Warren.
In addition to my CEO responsibilities with The Signatry, I have helped found a couple technology companies: iDonate.com, a fundraising software company providing an online solution for non-profits to market and receive gifts of all kinds; and FamilyArc.com, an online personal and private family legacy platform.
I am also a published author and sought-after conference speaker. I was honored to be named one of America’s Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers for 2017 as ranked by Philanthropy Media.
My writings
Some of my recent books include:
- A Generous Life: 10 Steps to Living a Life Money Can't Buy (Zondervan 2019), coauthored with David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby
- The Spiritual Roots of Kansas City: Discovering the Past to Shape Our Future (2019), coauthored with Annika Bergen
- Charity Shock: Ten Critical Trends Revolutionizing the Fundraising World (2018), coauthored with Ray Gary
- Giving It All Away…And Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously (Zondervan 2017), coauthored with David Green
I’ve coauthored or contributed to these books:
- Sell Well: Understanding the M&A Process and Avoiding the Most Common Mistakes of Selling a Business (2017), coauthored with Rene Robichaud and Peter Kubasek
- unPrepared, Heirs at Risk: 14 Elements of Successful Wealth Transfer (2017)
- This Dangerous Book: How the Bible has Shaped our World and Why it Still Matters Today (Zondervan 2017), coauthored with Steve and Jackie Green
- unHeritage: 11 Pitfalls to Family Legacy and How to Avoid Them (2014)
- The Generosity Bet (2014)
- Stories of the Generous Life (2013)