Daemen College : News : News Releases
Daemen Vice President for External Relations Dr. David A. Cristantello Named 2008 Earle Hannel Outstanding Fundraising Executive by Association of Fundraising Professionals of WNY
Daemen College Vice President for External Relations Dr. David A. Cristantello has been named the 2008 Earle Hannel Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the Association of Fundraising Professionals of WNY. Dr. Cristantello joined Daemen in 2000, and has held senior development positions at Niagara University; Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research, Inc.; St. John Fisher College; and Canisius College.
As a member of Daemen’s senior management cabinet, Dr. Cristantello is responsible for all operations at the College relating to external fund development. Most recently, this included a prestigious $900,000 challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation, which was awarded to Anthologies: The Campaign for Daemen, the College's first multi-million dollar fundraising effort. The flagship of the campaign is the new 45,000 square foot Research and Information Commons. Incorporating environmentally friendly design features, the Commons will be a unique addition to the Daemen campus, and will be one of the first free-standing “green” buildings on a Western New York college campus.
Dr. Cristantello holds a Ph.D., in Higher Education, and an Educational Masters degree, in College Counseling and Student Personnel, from the State University of New York at Buffalo. His B.A. is from the State University of New York College at Oswego.
“Dave has first-rate skills as a fund-raiser, and we are very pleased to have him at Daemen. On behalf of the faculty, administration, and members of the Daemen community, I congratulate him on this well-deserved honor,” stated Daemen President Dr. Martin J. Anisman.
The Center for Information, Research and Community Programs is designed by Perry Dean Rogers/Partners Architects, of Boston, to be the hub of academic research and support services for Daemen College. It will replace Daemen’s 1950’s era library. The design for the Center is currently registered with the United States Green Building Council, and is striving for Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation. It is being built with green design features – to conserve energy, water, and other resources, maximize the use of recycled materials, and minimize the use of toxic materials. The Center will have the technology and capacity to support classroom instruction, provide information for independent research that relates to the College curriculum, and provide human and technological resources that supports student academic achievement.
As director of development for Niagara University, Dr. Cristantello coordinated and executed a capital and endowment campaign which exceeded its $25 million goal. He was, also, responsible for managing the University’s annual giving; corporate and foundation relations; major and leadership giving; and research, records, and planned giving programs, exceeding goals in each year. Before joining the development staff at Niagara, he spent two years as a partner in The Mattison Group, LLC, an East Amherst, New York, consulting firm, where he provided fund-raising counsel for non-profit organizations, conducted feasibility studies, and coordinated strategic planning for capital campaign activities.
Dr. Cristantello also served as vice president for development and administration for Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Inc., where he prepared and implemented the Institute’s first comprehensive development and communications plan. Additional responsibilities included managing all development, communications, and external affairs efforts, and coordinating strategic planning. He also doubled the unrestricted annual fund, and increased the number and success rate of private grant proposals.
Dr. Cristantello’s successes while director of development for St. John Fisher College included significantly increasing the number of proposals from the College private and government grants program; participating in a $7 million dollar capital campaign; and increasing membership in the College’s leadership gift societies.
Among his career honors are Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, Oswego Chapter, 1996; Excalibur Certificate of Merit, Public Relations Society of America, 1996; the George M. Martin Advancement Award for Distinction, Canisius College, 1989; and the State University of New York Program Excellence Award, 1985. Dr. Cristantello is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and served as president of the Oswego State University Alumni Association. He is, also, a member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo, and the Western New York Planned Giving Consortium.
Dr. Cristantello and his family are residents of Amherst.