It is with great pride that Dini Spheris bids farewell to longstanding Board member, principal and consultant, David Jones. David came to Dini Spheris 28 years ago after a stint as the vice president and president of the American Productivity and Quality Center here in Houston. As a partner, owner, principal and managing partner of Dini Spheris and its predecessor Dini Partners, David has seen the firm grow from a small partnership to become one of the nation’s leading fundraising consulting firms. His clients have included such amazing institutions as the George Bush Presidential Library, Points of Light Foundation, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Greater Houston Partnership, Admiral Nimitz Museum, Baylor University, Texas Medical Center, Vannie Cook Cancer Center Foundation, Southwest Biomedical Research Foundation, Texas High-Speed Train Project, Menil Museum and National Wildflower Research Center. These, of course, are a few of the many organizations and institutions David touched over the years.
Last year, David made the decision to step back from his leadership role at the firm and we anticipated that he would be with the firm for some years to come. That was, until he received a call that he just couldn’t refuse. For many years, David has worked with President George Bush, fundraising for his presidential library at its founding and then to build an endowment. It is no surprise that David received this call.
On May 9, 2016, David will leave Dini Spheris to become the CEO of the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation. In his new role, David will be responsible for creating and executing a plan for the next 5-10 years for the Foundation to include relationships, fundraising, programs and exhibits. Along the way, David will have the great pleasure of working with his good personal friends, President and Mrs. George Bush.
“David has been a valued colleague, a mentor and friend serving the firm through a period of explosive and extraordinary growth,” according to Larry Vaclavik, Managing Principal. “His wisdom, calm spirit, determination, skill as a counselor and ease when working with some of our community’s and nation’s brightest and best leaders have made David in so many ways a model of a skilled fundraising consultant. Now, he will turn those talents to this new role in service of the legacy of President George H.W. Bush.”
All of us at Dini Spheris wish David well in this next adventure. At the same time we are grateful for his leadership, perspective, client service and service to the common good through philanthropy. He has changed so many institutions and lives in his career we look forward to his leadership at the Bush Presidential Library Foundation.
