Foundation Trustee Wins Fundraising Award

Phi Kappa Tau National Home Page

February 13, 2012: Pittsburgh, Penn.—Foundation Board of Trustees Secretary Jim Hamilton, Ohio State ’63, recently received the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Along with his service to Phi Kappa Tau, Hamilton serves on the board of trustees at the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh and the Forbes Health Foundation, both of which nominated him for the prestigious award.

Jim_Hamilton

A retired senior vice president with Federated Securities Corporation, a mutual funds company, Hamilton said that the importance of helping others is something his parents taught him from a young age.

“I suspect that it came from our church background and beliefs,” he said. “I just really enjoy helping people. One of the first things I did when I started working for PNC in Pittsburgh was to work with United Way. That’s where I started to really learn about going out and asking people to give. I learned that I enjoyed asking people to get committed.”

Hamilton recognizes that fundraising isn’t easy, nor something that a lot of people enjoy, which is why he thinks it’s that much more important to get involved if you have the talent.

“I want to impress upon people that [giving back] is always an opportunity,” he said. “And I think you should always take the opportunity to help other people because it can put a real joy in your heart when you do.”

Hamilton has served the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh in various capacities for more than 35 years. He originally got involved with the organization because his children were involved in Indian Guides and Maidens, now Y-Guides—a program that provides opportunities for fellowship, camping, and community-building activities for parents and their children.

He joined the Forbes Health Foundation six years ago when Forbes Hospital was starting a $7-million campaign. Hamilton said the group raised more than $10 million by the end.

Hamilton has served the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation for nearly 20 years.

“It’s been a real joy to serve on the board with some of my closest friends,” he said. “Bill Jenkins was, I think, the first person to ask me to get involved with the Foundation, and I’m so thankful he asked me.”

In addition, Hamilton serves as an elder at Beulah Presbyterian Church, where he and his wife have been members since 1968; on the Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority; on the fundraising board for the Murrysville Community Library Association, and alongside his wife on the fundraising board for the The Ohio State University College of Nursing.

Hamilton, who was “shocked” to be chosen for the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award, said he was grateful he was able to attend the award ceremony.

“I was really humbled to have been chosen for the award,” he said. “I was very impressed with having a chance to be there for the award but mostly to hear the other award winners’ stories. I always like having a chance to hear and read stories about … people who sacrifice their time to help others. I like that in people.”

Click here to watch a video about Hamilton's history of giving back.