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David Dunlop, a development officer for Cornell University from 1959 until his retirement in 1997, founded the university's major and principal gifts programs. In the 38 years he served Cornell, he acquired a wide range of annual, capital campaign, and major gift fund raising experience. He created and directed both Cornell's major gifts program for gifts of $1 million and up, and the principle gifts program for gifts of $5 million and up. From 1990 to 1995, Dave served on the senior management team of the Cornell Campaign--which set a record for the college and university campaigns when it received over $1.5 billion in gifts. Since his retirement in 1997, Dunlop continues to serve Cornell as a volunteer.

Over 200 other colleges, universities, and non-profit organizations have called on Dunlop for advice and training in fund raising for what he calls "ultimate gifts." Among them are large national organizations including United Way of America, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, CARE International, and the Easter Seals Society.

The concepts for major gift fund raising which Dave developed and practiced are described in chapters he contributed to the Handbook of Institutional Advancement (1986) (2000),The President and Fund Raising (1989), Educational Fund Raising: Principles and Practice(1993), and Developing an Effective Major Gift Program: From Managing Staff to Soliciting Gifts (1993), New Strategies for Educational Fund Raising (2002), and in several CASE Currents articles.

David Dunlop is a graduate of Cornell University.