George C. Ruotolo Jr., CFRE, Chairman and CEO of Ruotolo Associates in Cresskill, NJ, received the Robert J. Smythe Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals-New Jersey Chapter at the Second Annual Awards Dinner at the Westminster Hotel in Livingston. Steve Adubato, Ph.D., award-winning broadcaster, served as the evening's Master of Ceremonies. The award is named in memory of Robert J. Smythe, a longstanding member of the New Jersey Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals who exemplified dedication and service to the non-profit and fundraising community. The award recognizes an individual who brings honor, distinction, and a distinguished record of excellence in philanthropy.
Ruotolo has been a fundraising and public relations executive since 1973, and has earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation. Prior to establishing Ruotolo Associates, he served as Vice President of a major public relations fundraising firm and worked in investment banking. In 1979, sensing the need for a more contemporary approach to the challenges of present day fundraising, he founded the firm that bears his name and his personal hallmark: the commitment to high-level, hands-on service. Under his tutelage, Ruotolo Associates' counseling approach incorporates strategies carefully tailored to each client's needs, concerns, and requirements.
Over the last 25 years, Ruotolo Associates has served more than 750 clients and has raised approximately $730 million.
Ruotolo was nominated for the award by the Summit Speech School in New Providence, NJ. The school, which teaches hearing-impaired children to listen and speak for themselves, had first retained Ruotolo Associates to conduct a $5 million capital campaign in 1990 for a new building and teaching center. The strategies George Ruotolo recommended helped the campaign greatly exceed its original goals and led to his additional leadership service at critical junctures in the school's development.
"I can honestly say that Summit Speech School would not be where it is today without George Ruotolo," states Pamela A. Paskowitz, Ph.D., Executive Director. "He took the school's need to raise support for a new building and made it a reality. He put his energy, his expertise, and total commitment into our campaign and our school. It is this commitment, personalization and persistence that should be emulated by all professionals in the fundraising field."
With over 30 years of service to non-profits, George Ruotolo's expertise encompasses capital campaign management, development program assessments, major gifts and planned giving, marketing and public relations. He has served a diverse range of clients - dioceses, churches, colleges, schools, hospitals, and social service organizations - on the local, regional and national levels. He has skillfully guided hundreds of religious, corporate and civic leaders, administrators, board members, volunteers and development officers through successful fundraising programs. Ninety percent of Ruotolo's clients have met or exceeded their goals.
Reflecting on his career in the fundraising field, Ruotolo notes, "The longer I spend in this profession, with the staff of Ruotolo Associates and members of other firms, the more I recognize the unique qualities of those who work as fundraising counsel. My colleagues are individuals who could be extremely successful in other professions or in the for-profit sector, yet they choose to serve the non-profit world and dedicate their time and talents to advancing the missions of the institutions they serve," he continues.
"This is our legacy-stronger, more productive charities that are changing the lives of people in our communities and around the country."
Ruotolo currently serves as Vice Chair of the American Association of Fundraising Counsel, has served on several non-profit boards including the American Red Cross, Bergen-Hudson Chapter, and was a founding member of the Ridgewood Educational Foundation. As a media spokesperson on key philanthropic issues, Ruotolo has appeared on CNBC's "Money Talk" and on Phil Donahue's show on MSNBC to discuss the effects of the Catholic Church scandal on religious philanthropy. His perspective on fundraising subjects has been sought by Contributions and Crain's New York Business.
Ruotolo, of Ramsey, New Jersey, has been a Bergen County resident since 1979. He and his wife, Joanne, a nurse practitioner, are the parents of three grown children.
Ruotolo Associates' mission is to assist non-profit leaders in making the critical decisions that will affect the future of their institutions. With headquarters in New Jersey and divisions in Washington, D.C., New England and the Midwest, Ruotolo Associates serves a wide range of clients in the fields of religion, education, health care, social services, the arts and politics.
Equipped with a cadre of highly energized, talented professionals with specialized credentials, Ruotolo Associates demonstrates a proven track record, distinguished by individual attention, sensitivity and creative solutions to meet client needs.
Ruotolo Associates is a member of the American Association of Fundraising Counsel, the International Catholic Stewardship Council, and the National Catholic Development Conference.