LET US INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS!

	C. Eugene Musser - President and Chief Executive Officer Since joining Kirby-Smith Associates in 1991, Mr. Musser has become President and Chief Executive Officer of Kirby-Smith Associates. In his capacity as president, he oversees all corporate administration and staff development, as well as Campaign Development and Marketing. Kirby-Smith Associates and its affiliates provide Christian client services that assist churches, schools, and organizations to achieve their financial goals within the context of Christian stewardship. Mr. Musser graduated from Millersville State University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics with an emphasis in business management and finance. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in his senior year of college. Upon commissioning, he attended flight school and transferred to the Air Force Reserve. As a reserve officer, Mr. Musser has served with units in Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, and Maryland. He has completed a variety of senior level officer’s schools and has extensive graduate level work equivalent to a master’s degree. As an officer and commander, Mr. Musser has provided logistical assistance with various humanitarian efforts throughout the world, including numerous hurricane relief efforts in the United States. Mr. Musser completed 28 years of military service, retiring from the Air Force Reserve in May of 2007 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Mr. Musser was employed by the Junior Achievement organization for ten years where he earned his CFRE and served as Chief Executive Officer for three major metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio. His ten years of experience within a non-profit organization eventually led to a personal calling to dedicate his expertise exclusively to the Christian community. Throughout his career, Mr. Musser has worked with senior level boards and has been instrumental in the recruiting and training of executive staff and volunteers. Mr. Musser is often called upon to speak on a variety of stewardship and fund-raising topics throughout the country. He has written extensively on stewardship and conducting capitals campaigns within the Christian community.
	José De Jesús - President, Millennium Consulting; Executive Vice President, Kirby-Smith Associates Kirby-Smith Associates is pleased to partner with and welcomes Mr. José De Jesús to our Ministry of Church Finance team. After 15 years of service to literally hundreds of Catholic churches throughout the United States and abroad, José, under the advisement of various mentors and church leaders, has decided to continue his vocation of excellence and service with the founding of Millennium Consulting. Today, more than ever, the spiritual message of stewardship as a way of life, coupled with the practical know-how and experience of strategic planning, vision development, and solid fund-raising, is vital to the growth and vitality of our parishes into the future. José grew up in Brooklyn, New York and has served in many facets of ministry from music to catechesis and evangelization. He attended Queens College in New York City and graduated from the Copland School of Music. He has his MBA from Jacksonville University with a concentration in marketing. He has served as a certified Catechist, Music Minister, and Youth Minister in the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Diocese of Orlando, and the Diocese of Saint Augustine. José has worked with and has a full understanding of various fund-raising models. He has served and spoken at many stewardship conferences throughout the United States, including the International Catholic Stewardship Conference. He has conducted successful major diocesan capital campaigns as an executive director and served the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida as the Director of Stewardship for 4 years. He is fully bilingual, has a great understanding and a vast amount of experience working with many of the various Hispanic cultures throughout the United States. Millennium Consulting is strategically located and staffed to provide service to the Connecticut, greater New York, and New Jersey areas. Kirby-Smith Associates is excited to have developed this strong partnership with Millennium Consulting and hopes that your parish or diocesan team will consider the full range of services for vision development, feasibility studies, stewardship and capital campaigns, leadership development, and strategic planning.
	Rev. Jeffrey Knauer - Executive Vice President Jeff Knauer attended Western Pennsylvania Bible Institute and Berean School of the Bible in Springfield, Missouri. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He is familiar with the flow of a Capital Funds Campaign from start to finish. Mr. Knauer spent 22 years in pastoral ministry, serving churches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where he completed two major building programs, extensive renovations to a second facility, and the raising of more than $3 million in preparation for a third building project. Mr. Knauer has been involved in raising more than $1 million dollars for Missions through the churches he has pastored. Mr. Knauer’s broad pastoral background has equipped him for his work with Kirby-Smith Associates. He is familiar with assisting pastors, communicating clearly with Boards, and understanding the dynamics of church congregations and communities. He has taken projects from the point of conception to the day of completion.
	Rev. Thomas C. Davis-Shappell - Senior Vice President Mr. Davis-Shappell is a graduate of Messiah College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Studies and a Pennsylvania Secondary Education Certification. As an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, he has served twenty-seven years in both church ministry and various extension ministries. Mr. Davis-Shappell pastored four churches in ministry. He also chaired the Jacob Albright District Board of Church Location and Building. He has done extensive and concentrated work in vision casting, team building, and church growth. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President at Kirby-Smith Associates. In this capacity, he is responsible for leading capital, budget, and debt reduction campaigns and stewardship development programs.
	Rev. Dennis Emrick - Vice President Mr. Emrick brings to Kirby-Smith Associates, and its clients, extensive experience in stewardship ministry. Since 1969, Denny, an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, has served the church in Eastern Pennsylvania. He began his ministry in rural Lancaster County, and has served churches in Pennsylvania’s Coal Region, the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, as well as in suburban Philadelphia. He has served in rural, resort, and small city settings. From 1980 to 1984, he served as Director of Camps and Conferences for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. Mr. Emrick has training in Stewardship Development at the local church level, church planting, tele-evangelism, and church redevelopment. In 1995, Mr. Emrick left full-time parish ministry to found Millennium Resourcing, a Capital Stewardship Campaign consulting firm through which he ministered for 10 years. He has conducted Annual and Capital Campaigns in a diverse group of congregations throughout the Northeast, and in Minnesota and St. Louis. He has worked in Lutheran, Baptist, and United Methodist Churches. He is the author of several articles on stewardship, and has conducted many seminars on stewardship development in local churches.
	Dr. Tom Gemmill - Vice President Dr. Gemmill is Vice President of Kirby-Smith Associates, working with the Episcopal Parishes and Dioceses. Dr. Gemmill has served his Parish as Senior Warden, Treasurer, Vestry Member, Diocesan Convention Delegate, Diocesan Trustee, Stewardship Chair, Capital Campaign Chair, Buildings and Grounds member, and many long- and short-term task teams. Dr. Gemmill graduated from Drexel University in 1973 with a Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering. He then attended the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (V.M.D.) in 1977. A Rotarian since 1979, Dr. Gemmill was President of the 265 member Lancaster Rotary Club in 1989-1990. He was part of the Rotary Board Leadership Team for Rotary Internationals Polio Plus Model Club fund-raiser. He joined the Board of the Fulton Opera House in 1985 and is currently Trustee Emeritus. As President, 1990-1993, he led the Board in narrowing the mission of the organization as it struggled to maintain income in a trying recession. Following this turnaround he was part of the leadership team that raised $9.5 million to renovate the National Historic Landmark and oldest continually operating theater in the United States. This was the largest arts fund raising in area history. The process involved City, County, State, and private giving. Rewriting Bylaws and reforming mission and vision of organizations has been a significant area of work. He has performed these tasks with his Church, The School of Veterinary Medicine at Penn, the Penn Manor Education Foundation, Pet Emergency Treatment Services, LAM Insurance Trust, and the Fulton Opera House. Integral with these changes were increased fund raising opportunities in each organization as they became better focused in mission and vision.
	John D. Kavanagh - Vice President Mr. Kavanagh, a native of New York City, earned a bachelor of Civil Engineering from Marquette University and was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy upon graduation. He served four years as a Line Officer in the Cruiser-Destroyer Forces of both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. Upon release from active duty, Mr. Kavanagh embarked upon a management career that spanned more than thirty years with two Pennsylvania Fortune 500 corporations. Over the years, Mr. Kavanagh has held a variety of senior executive positions responsible for general management, sales, marketing, planning, advertising, and public relations. Mr. Kavanagh also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
	James W. Kirby - Vice President As a previous owner of Kirby-Smith Associates, Mr. Kirby returns to the organization. Developed as a Ministry of Church fund-raising with a national presence, Mr. Kirby purchased Kirby-Smith Associates from his father, Robert Kirby, and successfully sold the organization to its current President and owner, C. Eugene Musser in 1991. While owner of Kirby-Smith, Mr. Kirby updated and revitalized all procedure and associated manuals, developed a stewardship education program, and managed more than 300 capital and budget campaigns. Mr. Kirby organized and trained volunteer committees in preparation for campaigns while recruiting, training, and employing a staff of 48 full- and part-time folks to conduct major donor and general visitation appeals. Before being drafted into the military, Mr. Kirby attended Stony Brook School Prep School in NY and Moody Bible Institute. While in the military, he attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey CA and graduated from United States Air Force Cryptological Sciences. He also attended the University of Maryland extension in Okinawa, Japan. Mr. Kirby served as a Chinese Linguist in Vietnam and Korea for the airborne unit in the United States Air Force. He was three times awarded the USAF Air Metal for meritorious conduct under combat conditions. Prior to his return to Kirby-Smith Associates, Mr. Kirby was owner of Sandy Pond Hardwoods (hardwoods, lumber sales, and manufacturer of hardwood flooring) and opened an additional west coast branch. Along with his educational, military, and business background, Mr. Kirby brings a wealth of experience and service to Kirby-Smith Associates. He helped to found a Christian school (www.dayspringchristian.com) 23 years ago. Presently, he serves at the school as its Board Chair, his eighth year in this position.
	Gary Kulik - Vice President Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Gary Kulik is a graduate of St. Michael’s College in Vermont and earned a Ph.D. at Brown University in American history. He served in VISTA, the domestic Peace Corps, in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War having served as a medic in the Army’s 4th Infantry Division. He returned home to a embark on a career as an historian, editor, and writer, as a senior manager at the Smithsonian Institution and at the Winterthur Museum, and as a faculty member at Brown, George Washington University, George Mason University, and the University of Delaware. He has extensive experience in non-profit fundraising, board and council training, and strategic planning, experience that he has now chosen to bring to religious organizations.
	Chuck Petruska - Vice President Born in Troy, New York, Mr. Petruska graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, in 1968, and served with distinction in the US Army, Field Artillery, for eight years, including five years of small unit command. In the business arena, he focused on the Transportation and Distribution field, with successes in Operations, Sales Management, and Safety, before finding a passion for Human Resources. In 1987, a prior CEO with whom he worked sought him to serve as Director of Human Resources for a growing third-party logistics company, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1994, he received recognition as a Senior Professional in Human Resources, a certification he retains today. In 1995, Mr. Petruska left the corporate world to pursue his own business as a Consultant, assisting individuals and small businesses in maximizing their potential. He has been a lay leader with San José Catholic Church since their arrival in Jacksonville and has been active in several ministries, to include the Knights of Columbus, RCIA, service as a Lector, and the Stewardship Committee. His commitment to the life of a servant and as a steward of the blessings God has given him led to his decision to join Kirby-Smith Associates.
	Joseph W. Purka - Vice President Mr. Purka joined Kirby-Smith Associates as Vice President after seven years as campaign communications director for multi-million dollar fund-raising campaigns, including the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC and Rutgers University in New Jersey. Prior, he served in the Air Force for more than 28 years, primarily as a public affairs officer, directing news media relations, employee communications, and community relations. He retired as a Colonel in 1996 to begin a new career in fund-raising. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. John’s University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma, and graduated from the Air Force’s Air War College. Mr. Purka brings more than 35 years of experience in strategic and marketing communications, public relations, crisis communications, and image management to Kirby-Smith Associates. His diverse communications background includes higher education, fund-raising, government, and industry.
	Charles J. Slimowicz - Vice President Mr. Chas Slimowicz is a Vice President of Kirby-Smith Associates. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut, Master of Arts in Social Science from American International College, and a Master of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management. His background includes twenty-three years of distinguished service in the United States Army. Upon retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel, Chas worked in management serving as the Director of Admissions for a private, technical school and later as the Director of Operations for a private restaurant chain in the Baltimore area. For the past five years, Chas has been the Director of Development for St. Margaret Church and School in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. As Director of Development, he managed a church’s Stewardship and Planned Giving, Pastoral Planning, Tuition Assistance and Communications programs, its capital and endowment campaigns, and its school’s fund-raising program, grant writing efforts, strategic planning process, and start-up of its annual fund. His five years of development experience in a non-profit religious organization led to a personal calling to dedicate his expertise exclusively to the Ministry of Church and School Finance in the Christian community. He is a member of the Association of Fund-raising Professionals and the Chesapeake Planned Giving Committee.
	Gen Yvette Sutton - Vice President Gen Yvette, a native of Kansas, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Mount Saint Scholastic College in Atchison, Kansas. Mrs. Sutton has lectured and debated in several states on issues of education reform. Mrs. Sutton has worked in marketing with several firms during her years raising her children. She later did social work for several social services agencies in her local area, including Lifeline of Berks County and Ready-Ride Transportation in Berks County, and earlier, starting a daycare for migrant workers’ children in Rochelle, IL. She also has experience teaching in the public schools in Seminole, OK and Notre Dame High School in DeKalb, IL. Mrs. Sutton has been an active member of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Academic Affairs, the Respect Life Committee in Allentown, PA, and the Rochelle Childcare Corporation, where she was instrumental in founding the child care center for the children of migrant workers.
	William J. Sutton - Vice President Mr. Sutton is Vice President of Kirby-Smith Associates, a company founded in 1938 as a Ministry of Church Finance. In this capacity, Mr. Sutton is responsible for capital, budget, and debt reduction campaigns, along with stewardship development programs. A native of Illinois, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics from the Wisconsin State University System at Platteville, Wisconsin in 1967 and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the Northern Illinois University in 1971. His career includes working at several colleges and community colleges, both public and private, since 1972. In December of 1982, Mr. Sutton came to Kutztown University as the Executive Director of the Kutztown University Foundation and became the first full-time director and employee of the Foundation. In 1988, a new division called the University Advancement was created and was asked to serve as the Interim Vice President for Advancement, which included the areas of the Foundation, Admissions, Public Relations, Cultural Affairs, and Development. He was appointed Vice President in 1989. In the 24 years that Mr. Sutton was at Kutztown University, the university saw much growth and expansion occur. The Kutztown University Foundation has been among the leaders in the State System in terms of innovative activities and growth. Mr. Sutton also served as the senior development officer within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and served as President of the statewide Vice President of Advancement Association.
	William Venditta - Vice President With a broad range of knowledge and expertise in planning, coordinating, and directing major fund-raising projects for the American Cancer Society, as well as significant non-profit board development, marketing, and management experience as the former Executive Director of Fair Hill International, Inc., Mr. Venditta brings a unique combination of fund-raising and management skills with intimate ties and knowledge of his Catholic Archdiocese, to his position as Senior Vice President at Kirby-Smith Associates. Mr. Venditta is a graduate of St. Bernard College, Cullman, Alabama, and St. Charles Boromeo Seminary, Overbrook, Philadelphia, with a Master of Arts Degree in Religious Studies. Before embarking on his current pursuits, he completed 20 years within the secondary school system of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, as a former Theology Teacher, Department Chair, Guidance Director, and Director of Development. Throughout his career, Mr. Venditta has helped individuals and organizations achieve their dreams and visions.
	Cathy Welk - Director of Administration Ms. Welk has been with Kirby-Smith Associates since 1987. As Director of Administration, she is responsible for overseeing the marketing and campaign support of the Home Office to include both the clerical and graphic departments. She is actively involved in her church and supports the message of Stewardship-giving sacrificially of one's time, talent, and treasure.
	Paula Cargill — Marketing Manager / Conference Coordinator Lynn Duncan — Campaign Administrator / Graphic Artist Pat LeFever — Executive Assistant Donna Musser — Corporate Secretary / Human Resources
Consultant Staff:	Bernard Crownson Clifford Henneman Lois Henneman Joseph Jones Beverly Jones William Shimmel Sandra Shimmel Mary Whalen

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