“You need to be sensitive; you need to be a professional about how you approach people. But it is important to recognize that these are some of your best donors.” – Joe Chickey

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Sharpe Group Vice President Joe Chickey about estate giving, and why it is especially important for nonprofits to focus on planned giving now. Joe addresses:

• Why people are being advised to look at their estate plans.
• How nonprofits can take advantage of this.
• What advice he would give to any listeners developing or refining estate plans.

About Our Guest

Joe Chickey has more than 30 years of experience in the charitable arena, with a focus on gift planning. Based in Nashville, TN, he is a senior vice president and consulting director for Sharpe Group. He has spoken locally, regionally, and nationally on planned giving to estate planning councils, AFP, CASE and local CGP groups. His recent speaking engagements include the Chicago Council on Planned Giving, Colorado Summer Symposium, Middle Tennessee Planned Giving Council, and the Carolinas Planned Giving Conference.  Joe recently completed a three-year term as a board member of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP). 

Joe served as lead fundraiser for a $1.5 billion capital campaign at the University of Illinois and a $500 million capital campaign for a major hospital in Chicago. He has administered charitable remainder trusts, lead trusts, gift annuities, life estates, and IRA gifts. 

He has experience as a gift planner on the nonprofit side and a bank trust officer on the for-profit side. For 14 years, he worked with nonprofit endowments, family foundations, and high-net-worth clients. His expertise includes estate and financial planning, asset management, and charitable planning.

As a vice president and trust officer for Regions Bank, he was a leader in the Endowments and Foundations Group and worked with more than 125 charities throughout the Southeastern United States. Prior to Regions, Joe was a vice president and business development officer for SunTrust Bank. 

In the fundraising arena, he served as director of gift planning for the University of Illinois Foundation. He was also a major gift officer for Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and a planned giving officer for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Joe is active in the community. He is a past president of the Fifty Forward Endowment Board. He is also past president of the Planned Giving Council of Middle Tennessee and a past board member of the Chicago Planned Giving Council. He has served on the boards of the Boys & Girls Club, Family & Children’s Services, and Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts. Additionally, he has served on advisory boards for University School of Nashville, Abintra Montessori, and the Nashville Symphony.

Joe earned a bachelor of arts degree in finance from Rhodes College and a master’s degree in business administration from University of Illinois.

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