Council Newsletter - July 2025 
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
A BIG “thank you” to the CGPK Program Committee, chaired by Andrea Stevens, to our Sponsorship Committee, chaired by Adam Fields, and to everyone who made CGPK’s 2025 Gift Planning Conference a tremendous success. Plenty of photos from the day are found in the article below.
Noteworthy are two important “firsts” that occurred at this conference:
- Recognizing Kelly Wesley Taylor (Taylor Bell Consulting) as a “CGPK Champion” in appreciation of Kelly’s tireless work on behalf of CGPK, including co-chairing CGPK’s first conference in 2015;
- Announcing our first formal cohort of CGPK Scholarship/Membership winners in fulfillment of a long-term goal. Congratulations to these individuals (see photo below).
To continue this great momentum through the balance of the year, please be sure to join us for the CGPK events listed on our website. In addition to great programming in July, August, and November, please consider inviting a professional colleague to join you at our Networking Happy Hour at Noble Funk Brewing on Wednesday, September 17. This is a great way to introduce CGPK to others.
Lastly, August 27 is the early-bird registration deadline for this year’s National CGP Conference, which will be held October 15-17 in Indianapolis. If you plan to attend, please let me know! It would be wonderful to have great representation from our Council and to connect while we’re in Indianapolis!
At any time, please reach out with comments or suggestions.
Kathryn Sides
2025 CGPK President
CGPK MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
This quarter, we’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on Chris McGown, a longtime development professional, passionate planned giving advocate, and generous sponsor of the annual Networking Happy Hour at Noble Funk Brewing Company in September. With over 30 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, Chris has cultivated more than $95 million in planned gifts personally—and actively contributed to another $230 million with his team. We caught up with Chris to learn more about what keeps him inspired, what lessons he’s learned, and what makes him tick outside of the office.
I was introduced to planned giving when I accompanied a PG professional from out-of-town, so I could tell the local story. I loved the process and was drawn to the relational side of the work. There can be very deep conversations with donors when talking about family and legacy. While these deep conversations aren't as frequent, the promise of them has kept me in the PG arena for more than three decades.
What’s your most memorable or meaningful planned giving story?
Well, my most memorable story was one of my very first solo meetings, when the potential donor opened his door without tying his robe...and that is ALL he was wearing! That was the start of a strange donor journey. The most meaningful is harder to nail down, there are so many. But the one that stands out most was a donor couple who created numerous gift annuities (when I left, it was over 40). The donors created a deferred annuity every year using his annual bonuses from work, many years it would be two or three. They were a wonderful couple who kept in contact with me long after I left. I made the drive back to the area for the wife's funeral a few years ago. Despite the years of absence, we spent a long time chatting, meeting friends and extended family, laughing, and remembering.
You hold degrees in education, psychology, marketing, and law. How have those different perspectives shaped your approach to fundraising?
My education degree has probably done more to shape my approach than the others combined. The training and classroom experience has helped me find different, effective ways to talk to donors about complex issues using language and scenarios that they can connect with more easily. Of course, psychology sneaks in there, too, as I use that knowledgebase to help determine the best course for a particular donor journey. The marketing and law degrees have had value as well, but not to the same degree and have served me better in the administrative areas - including effective note taking for entry to the CRM.
When you’re not inspiring philanthropy, what’s something about you that might surprise your peers?
This is Kentucky, so my love of bourbon probably isn't surprising, but my love of quality cigars might be. Aside from that, I'm an avid history lover and focus on the period of American history around the creation and ratification of our constitution. But the one thing that most people don't know is that in my youth, I competed at the national level in competitive shooting sports.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting in planned giving, what would it be?
There are so many things I would and have said to those just getting started, picking just one may be not possible, but... Don't rush the process and don't force it either! (Is that two pieces? No, I'm going to count it as one) Donors will move the process forward in their own timeframe, not yours and not your organization's. There are, of course, things you can and should do to help move them to the action you know they want and need to make, but ultimately, they have to do it. Even the most seemingly simplistic steps can be fraught with emotional consequences for the donor, and you have to be mindful of that.
UPCOMING EVENTS
More info and registration for all upcoming events - CLICK HERE
Wednesday, July 23, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM Member Bonus Webinar
Navigating Your AI Transformation
Nathan Chappell w/ Live Q&A session
Wednesday, August 20, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Encore presentation from the 2024 National CGP Conference
@ Kentucky Humane Society, 241 Steedly Drive, Louisville, 40214 Optional KHS tour following meeting.
Imposter Syndrome: Stop Doubting … You DO Know What You’re Doing!
Laura Brock, Director of Development, University of Louisville, Office for Estate and Gift Planning
Carli Yoho, Assistant Director of Planned Giving, West Virginia University Foundation, Inc.
Wednesday, September 17, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM Networking Happy Hour sponsored by Peak 9860
FREE TO ATTEND. 1st drink & apps on us!
@ Noble Funk Brewing Company, 922 S. 2nd St., Louisville, 40203
October 15 – 17, National CGP Conference, JW Marriott, Indianapolis, IN
Early bird pricing thru 8/27/25. CLICK HERE for all the details.
Wednesday, November 19, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
@ Norton Orthopedic and Hand Center, 9880 Angie’s Way, Ste. 120, Louisville, 40241
Navigating Grief with Compassion: Honoring the Journey of Donors and Ourselves
Rev. Dr. Loretta Reynolds, Chaplain (retired), Berea College
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Our annual Gift Planning Conference was held on Wednesday, June 4, at Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg, Indiana. It brought together nearly 80 attendees—including many first-time participants—for a day of learning, networking, and inspiration.
This year’s theme, “Framework for the Future,” featured an outstanding lineup of expert speakers, including Philip Purcell (Salvation Army), Jeff Lydenberg (PG Calc), and Laurie Beth Baird (Cerity Partners). Sessions like “Which Gift is Best?” and “Women, Wealth & Philanthropy” offered attendees practical tools and fresh insights into the evolving world of planned giving.
With generous support from our sponsors and the enthusiasm of our attendees, this year’s conference was one of our best yet!
Again, we are extremely appreciative of our sponsors who made this event possible. THANK YOU! Taylor Bell Consulting, our presenting sponsor of this year’s conference. Ivy Tech Community College for the space and for providing lunch. Also, Caesars Foundation of Floyd County, Community Foundation of Louisville, Legacy Foundation of Kentuckiana, Community Foundation of Southern Indiana, Baird Trust, University of Louisville, PNC, The Presbyterian Foundation, Harrison County Community Foundation, Cerity Partners, Thompson & Associates, and Hosparus Health.
COUNCIL UPDATES
At our annual Gift Planning Conference on June 4, we announced our first ever Membership Scholarship recipients! This new membership scholarship program is for individuals from organizations without funding for specialized training in charitable gift planning.
What the scholarship includes:
- One-year paid membership to both CGPK and National CGP organization
- Second-year paid National CGP membership (recipient responsible for CGPK local dues of $120)
- Registration for the annual CGPK Gift Planning Conference
Total two-year value: $740 (the scholarship will renew so long as the recipient maintains eligibility.)
We also want to acknowledge Lauren Wagoner with River Heritage Conservancy, who received a 1-year membership scholarship courtesy of a generous Council Sponsor.
Next CGPK scholarship funding cycle opens September 1, 2025. Find our more here.
From the CGPK Program Committee:
Thanks so much to everyone who attended our Regional Conference at Ivy Tech in June! We were so pleased with the attendance of members and guests alike.
Our goal continues to be to provide interesting and relevant programs - and we’re already beginning to plan for next year! Your input is crucial to the process, so we’d be most appreciative if you could answer just a few questions to give us your opinions and ideas. In addition, if you’d like to reach out to any of us directly – or if you’re interested in joining our committee – please contact any of us by email:
Andrea Stevens, Presbyterian Foundation, Council Program Chair
Kate Biagi-Rickert, Baird Trust
Emily Monarch, Community Foundation of Louisville
Jennifer Scott, Cabbage Patch Settlement House
Mark Snyder, PNC Institutional Asset Management
NEWS YOU CAN USE
This, Not That: From Challenging Gifts to Charitable Wins
Kara Morin, PGCalc’s Senior Director of Planned Giving Services, Ericka Webb, Executive Director of Gift Planning at Boston College, and Gary Pforzheimer, President of PGCalc, delivered a thought-provoking presentation at the Planned Giving Group of New England’s All-Day Conference on May 7. While we can’t reproduce their entertaining game-show approach in this format, please click here to read their practical solutions they offered to tricky donor situations.
ADVOCACY UPDATE
CGP hosts a series of advocacy updates throughout the year. These bi-monthly sessions are scheduled for Thursdays at 1:00 PM (ET) and are free to anyone who registers.
The next Advocacy Update is scheduled for August 21. Topic will be announced the month of the event. Register now.
NOTES FROM NATIONAL
CGP looks forward to welcoming you to CGP’s hometown for connection, innovation and opportunities for professional development. From the iconic Monument Circle to the growing art and food scene, explore all that Indianapolis has to offer during CGP Conference 2025.
Early bird pricing thru 8/27/25. Get all the info here.
LOCAL CGPK RESOURCES
When was the last time you visited our website? CharitablePlannersKentuckiana.org
You can find upcoming events, view the job board, access handouts and presentations, view the membership directory and much more!
Let us know what else you would like to see on the website. We would love to hear from you!