Founder of CDR Fundraising Group Passes Away, Leaves Legacy of Service to Nonprofits

“We will miss him very much, but we are heartened by the industry-wide reactions to his recent illness and the hundreds of cards, messages and telephone calls that his colleagues sent to help him and his family through his final months and days. While we, of course, are hearing a lot of condolences, we have been hearing from a lot of folks in the industry who just wanted to let us know how Ray had helped them out. That is a legacy to which we should all aspire.”

Ray was a founding member of the Association of Direct Response Fundraising Counsel and the business advisory council of the National Federation of Nonprofits, which merged with the DMA Nonprofit Federation. He helped develop the fundraising industry’s first set of agency ethics to bring credibility to the entire industry.

In an article describing Ray’s quarter century of professional accomplishment, Margaret Battistelli, FundRaising Success magazine editor-in-chief, wrote: “We’re honoring Ray here for his enduring attitude that fundraisers need to live the art and act of fundraising – rather than just work it – and embrace a philanthropic lifestyle and charitable heart.”

Ray received countless awards during his career, including the 2008 FundRaising Success magazine Lifetime Achievement Award and the DMA Nonprofit Federation’s 2005 Max L. Hart Nonprofit Achievement Award.

Information relating to funeral arrangements will be forthcoming. Inquiries can be made to Geoff Peters at 301-858-1500 or gpeters@cdrfg.com