Tom Suddes
Tom Suddes has made a name for himself as a THOUGHT LEADER in the ‘NONPROFIT’ ARENA.
A coach, trainer, consultant, speaker and writer with over 33 years of experience in development, strategic visioning, campaign management and major gift solicitation, Tom has been labeled CONTRARIAN, RADICAL, WHACKY, CRAZY and (what he feels is the highest compliment) “THE TOM PETERS OF THE NONPROFIT WORLD”.
Suddes is widely known as a MAVERICK and an AGENT of CHANGE. He began his career in the Development Office at the University of Notre Dame in 1973. He eventually became the Director of Development and headed the Campaign for Notre Dame, which raised $180 Million ($50 Million over the $130 Million Goal).
In 1983, he founded The Suddes Group, which managed over 300 campaigns, raised over $1 Billion, and helped generate 3 million new jobs in their work with 125 economic development organizations around the country.
In his current role, he acts as Chief Visionary Officer for The Suddes Group and Chief Evangelist for the For Impact Movement. As the “voice” of the FOR IMPACT COMMUNITY, Tom lives, plays and coaches at the FOR IMPACT LEADERSHIP CENTER just outside Columbus, Ohio.
He has made more than 6,000 one-on-one major gift presentations and has trained thousands of “nonprofit” leaders in the art and science of FOR IMPACT … and raising more money at a much lower cost.
He speaks and provides training throughout the country for entrepreneurs, sales people and leaders in both the nonprofit and the for-profit sector.
A serial entrepreneur since age 16, Tom has founded 19 businesses Suddes was the first Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the Gigot Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Notre Dame; and has taught in the Masters Program at Notre Dame and the Leadership Program at Franklin University.
In 1996, Tom won a Trip Around the World when Success Magazine and Opportunity International awarded him a Trip Around the World to share his SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL experiences with Third World Micro-Entrepreneurs in Russia, Poland, India, the Philippines and Australia.
Tom served in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer, completed Airborne and Pathfinder Schools, and became a Tactical Officer at Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia.
A two-time welterweight boxing champion at Notre Dame, Tom has been the boxing coach at Notre Dame for 35 years, returning every year for a six-week ‘mini-sabbatical’ to coach and referee the Bengal Bouts.
Throughout his crazy, eclectic, eccentric life, Tom has been anchored by his wife Trudy and his five children, who have somehow overcome their father as a huge life impediment. Now, his three grandchildren, Savannah, Keegan and Calvin are the centerpiece of life on a 50-acre farm/training center outside of Columbus, Ohio.
Tom’s Harley Davidson is still his vehicle of choice.
Nick Fellers
Fellers is an entrepreneur and technology wiz who started his first business from his college dorm room. As a student at the University of Notre Dame, he created a first-of-its-kind on-line student community for members to share course feedback and class ratings, and to learn about campus events, books and discussions. It made such a splash that other major universities came knocking, requesting similar portals for their schools. After building a successful enterprise as college students, Nick and his business partners eventually sold their tool to a dot com to allow time to focus on their interests in the nonprofit world.
“My experience taught me the amazing power of scaled impact - what can happen when you share your system with an enormous number of people and the impact it can have on their lives,” Fellers explains. “I decided to take my expertise in technology and use it to somehow impact nonprofits, to really make a change in the world.”
Nick enjoys life as a practitioner, coach and trainer. He has trained hundreds of organizations and regularly contributes to ForImpact.org.
After graduating with a degree in philosophy, Fellers moved home to Columbus, Ohio, where he began working with Tom Suddes and now serves as President of The Suddes Group.
