WENTWORTH MILITARY ACADEMY HONORS BUD COOPER
BIO

Kansas City (June 1, 2004) – Bud Cooper, CFRE, Hartsook Companies, Inc., Executive Vice President, recently received the President's Award for Commitment from Wentworth Military Academy of Lexington, Mo. The award, presented by President/Superintendent Maj. Gen. John Little (US Army Ret.), lauded Cooper for his "Service Above and Beyond the Call of Duty to the Academy and the 124th Corps of Cadets."

Cooper serves as campaign counsel and has helped Wentworth raise more than $28 million for its "Securing the 21st Century" campaign for campus expansion, refurbishment and scholarship endowment.

"Much of the credit," Cooper said, "belongs to Elaine Hudson, Administrative Assistant for the Wentworth Foundation for her untiring work and effort in setting appointments and schedules that made the campaign succeed, and to the alumni around the country who had and took the opportunity to save their school."

Cooper, a Parsons, Kan., native, is the son of Harold and Opal Cooper of Woodbridge Estates. He is a 1955 graduate of Parsons High School and 1957 graduate of Labette County Community College. His wife is the former Judy Smith of Parsons.

He holds a doctorate from the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary and a master of divinity degree from Saint Paul School of Theology. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Pittsburg State University and a liberal arts degree from Labette County Community College. Bud is a member of the Greater Kansas City Council on Philanthropy and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, through which he has achieved Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) accreditation. Bud lives in Shawnee, Kan.

"When a consultant receives such high recognition from a client it demonstrates the value we have for our clients and their projects," said Robert F. Hartsook, JD, EdD, Chairman and CEO of Hartsook Companies, Inc. "Bud is a model for others in our firm about providing that important value."

Wentworth Military Academy's mission is to provide a foundation for the intellectual growth, leadership development and self-discipline essential to the men and women serving the nation as skilled leaders of moral character. Founded in 1880, Wentworth Military Academy is the oldest military academy west of the Mississippi. Wentworth offers a junior high and high school curriculum, as well as junior-college courses of study. The web site: www.wma1880.org.

Hartsook Companies, Inc., has served nonprofits nationwide with capital, endowment and annual campaigns; leadership support; board training; marketing and more since 1987. The firm has conducted more than 1,200 campaigns ranging from $500,000 to more than $1 billion. Last year, Hartsook Companies served nearly 200 nonprofits in 40 states. The web site: www.hartsookcompanies.com.

Note to editors: For more information about Hartsook Companies, Inc., please visit www.hartsookcompanies.com. For Bud Cooper's full biography follow this link: http://www.hartsookcompanies.com/bios.shtml. If you require a high-resolution photo, please e-mail Tammy Weinman, tammy@hartsookcompanies.com or reach her at 316.630.9992.