Shawn has more than 25 years of development experience spanning college athletics, health care, higher education, and the arts. In his current role as Vice President – Midwest Territory, Shawn oversees all fundraising and awareness efforts for the seven states within the Midwest Territory for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Prior to ALSAC, Shawn served in a variety of different roles including the Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations for Columbia College Chicago, the Vice President – Main Campus and the Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences Development at the University of Iowa Foundation.
Shawn spent the first 16-years of his development career at the University of Illinois, eventually serving as Senior Associate Athletic Director where he oversaw all external relations. A proud and lifelong Midwesterner, Shawn received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois -Urbana where he earned All-Big Ten honors as a member of the football team. Shawn has served on a variety of non-profit boards in the communities he has lived. He has been awarded the Key-to-the-City of his hometown of Machesney Park, IL and is a member of both his high school’s athletic hall of fame and distinguished alumni wall of fame.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is an iconic brand, but what makes St. Jude unique to Chicago?
ALSAC and St. Jude have a long history in Chicago. ALSAC was founded in 1957 in Chicago by entertainer Danny Thomas, five years before St. Jude opened its doors in 1962. Six years before ALSAC officially launched, Chicago hosted the first fundraiser on behalf of St. Jude at the Chicago Theatre, raising $51,000. While St. Jude is based in Memphis, TN, it treats patients from all 50 states, and all throughout the world, including kids from right here in Chicago. Additionally, St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes, so every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children – including those in our backyard.
What are some unique ways ALSAC and St. Jude has leveraged the business community?
Beyond direct and indirect financial support we receive from our amazing corporate partners, we do leverage the great business minds behind the successful businesses we work with. We have executives who serve on various advisory committees to help us run our fundraising and marketing functions as effectively and efficiently as possible, leading to a greater impact for our mission. While the non-profit industry is different from other corporate areas, we do strive to perform at the same levels as top for-profit companies. This cannot be done without a village of brilliant minds internally and externally.
Which business trend have you been paying close attention to in the last 3-5 years?
One of the more interesting trends we keep up with is rising employee expectations. While this often shows up for businesses as salary or benefit expectations, this can also be in relation to corporate responsibility. Forbes put out an article titled “Despite Economic Headwinds, Employees Still Want To Work For Companies That Care” – and their data shows that two-thirds of employees believe their employers could be doing more to impact societal or environmental change. In fact, 35% of those surveyed said they had left a position due to a mismatch in values. This is one of the reasons we connect with and foster relationships not just with a business and their executives, but their employee base as well.
What role do you see corporations playing in philanthropy moving forward?
Corporations have always played a significant role in the philanthropic space, and I do not foresee that changing. We have had great success over the years with national partners such as Domino’s, Tri-Delta, Chili’s and Signet Jewelers, as well as our local Chicagoland partners including CME Group, Fannie May Chocolates, Road Ranger, Nora Fleming, Mastery Logistics Systems, and Abbvie, whose $50 million donation enabled the design, construction and program operations of Family Commons, a 45,000-foot space for patients and their families to relax and gather in between clinic appointments. These partnerships are highlighted by the value employees see in helping St. Jude’s mission, and we feel our brand also elevates our partners by showing their customers the good they are doing. Our goal is to establish mutually beneficial partnerships that help take brands to the next level, with the focus on helping children and their families through very difficult times.
What are some ways that people are engaging in the mission that you are excited about?
I’m really excited about employees and workplace giving. We know that workplace giving matters as we see up to 86% of employees who had access to a workplace program participated in it. And younger employees – Gen Z and Millennials – take workplace giving into account when deciding whether to stay with current employers. Workplace giving differs from company to company but includes opportunities for employees to give of their time through volunteerism, or give via one-time donations, payroll deductions, workplace matching gifts, or workplace fundraisers. This has become increasingly important in a deeply competitive talent environment. For St. Jude, employees are our next generation of donors, and they are critical to sustaining our mission into the future. Their workplace – your workplaces – are sometimes the first time they are exposed to the St. Jude mission.
How are Chicago businesses and employees able to engage with the St. Jude mission in Chicago?
Here in Chicago, we have a variety of ways for both businesses and employees to engage with the St. Jude mission including partnerships and sponsorships, workplace giving, volunteerism, and more. Annually, we host the St. Jude Chicago Golf Classic (July), St. Jude Walk/Run (September), and St. Jude Dream Chicago (October). Upcoming in September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, as well as Giving Tuesday in November. We recognize that not all businesses and individuals are looking to engage with our mission in the same way, so we work to customize how one’s support of St. Jude best fits their needs and goals. To learn more, you can email our local Chicago team.