It is a Sunday afternoon. During football season, many don’t know is that I watch bowling the first quarter of the NFL game. I’m not embarrassed to tell you, I love bowling. So I watch for an hour or so the PBA, Professional Bowlers Association games.Well, today the intercollegiate game is being broadcast. It is Wichita State University vs. Some School in Indiana I have never heard of (good Catholic school). Looks like WSU will win its 11th national championship in 30 years. They have always been good.But they were not up to the task of the Hubbard Collingsworth and Lyle Dresher years ago at Emporia State University. In 1969 ESU won the NATIONAL COLLEGIAT E BOWLING TITLE. I used to have a jersey to prove it. Ron Loewen was a part of that support team at ESU.Why would I bring this up?You know my mind works in mysterious ways. ESU beat University of Kansas, WSU, Indiana, and many other schools to be the best. ESU was a little nothing in comparison to those other schools.But in bowling we were the best. We were the undisputable #1.Who would have known that I would be involved in three national championship teams? ESU Bowling, Wichita State University World Series Championship in 1989 (30 years after my bowling championship); and then in 2010, Hartsook Companies is the largest in the world.Each one of these victories marked an opportunity seized.That is where you have to be in fundraising. No excuses. No whining. No turning back.Your drive has to be pure, your goal has to be exact, and your reward, total victory.You can feel a lot of pride about how many times you’ve tried and how hard you’ve worked. Some of it may even look good on a resume.But ask anyone who’s breathed the air at the top: there’s nothing like being #1.
The Most Influential ‘Living Person’ in Philanthropy
Robert F. Hartsook Receives Honorary Doctorate of Business
Plymouth University, United Kingdom
Bob Hartsook was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration by Plymouth University in Plymouth, England. The University described Bob as: “arguably the most influential living person improving the philanthropic donor experience.” Such global affirmation appropriately recognizes Bob and uniquely distinguishes Hartsook as the world’s fundraising counsel.”
Plymouth University honors individuals who have achieved great distinction in their professional lives and who have made contributions to society at large. In recognizing Bob Hartsook’s impressive achievements, the University has highlighted his service to the field of philanthropy, his promotion of academic study and research and his personal commitment to growing philanthropy around the world. Go here to learn more and view videos from this event.
Pictured: Karin Cox, Hartsook Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer; Julian Chaudhuri, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience; Bob Hartsook; Adrian Sargeant, Professor of Fundraising at Plymouth University and the Director of the Hartsook Centre for Sustainable Philanthropy; Jen Shang, Philanthropic Psychologist and Director of Research at the University of Plymouth Hartsook Centre for Sustainable Philanthropy; Matthew J. Beem, Hartsook President and CEO.