Leadership Team | Gary Cole
Gary Cole, Ed. D, CFRE
Executive Vice President, Consulting
As Executive Vice President, Pursuant Consulting, Dr. Gary Cole is responsible for leading the Pursuant Ketchum consulting team and providing senior-level development, management, and philanthropic counsel to a broad cross-section of nonprofit organizations throughout the United States.
Gary has spent his entire professional career working with nonprofit organizations and the generous philanthropic donors who support them in hopes of building a better society. During this time, he has played an integral role in building fundraising teams and programs as well as directing and providing counsel to campaigns ranging from $1 Million to $500 Million for nonprofit organizations in the United States. Most recently, Gary’s client engagements have included: Wake Forest Baptist Health, YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas, and the Community Memorial Health System of Ventura, CA.
Prior to joining Pursuant Ketchum, Gary held chief development officer positions in independent schools, public education, and pediatric healthcare. Gary has served as the Vice President of Development for Cook Children’s Health Foundation, Vice President of Development for the University of Texas at Arlington, Director of Development for The Hockaday School, Director of Development for the University of Texas at Dallas, and Director of School Development for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth.
A practitioner-scholar in the fundraising profession, Gary is a proponent of lifelong learning and frequently presents at conferences. He earned a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis on the Not for Profit Sector from Nova Southeastern University, a Master’s degree in Philanthropy and Development, from St. Mary’s University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication from Texas Tech University.
Gary is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), a former board member of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy, a member of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) and is a recipient of the Ben Franklin Award for Outstanding Professional Fundraising Executive.
Gary resides in Colleyville, Texas with his wife Michele and sons Cameron and Connor.
