ABOUT DAVE

David M. McGowan, CFRE, was the chief staff officer of DuPage Foundation for 25 years.  He started as its executive director in 1998, was named president in 2003, and named CEO in 2015.  He retired at the end of 2022 and started his consulting practice in January, 2023.

Dave became a certified fundraising executive in 1987.  He has more than 43 years of fundraising, grantmaking, and not-for-profit management experience in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Dave helps area donors, their advisors and the organizations they support accomplish their philanthropic objectives.  He focuses on outright and deferred gifts of appreciated property from individuals and on demonstrating the lasting contributions of endowed funds.

Dave graduated cum laude in marketing and journalism from Northern Illinois University and has a Master of Science in Management and Development of Human Resources from National-Louis University.

He grew up in Downers Grove and lives in Lisle with his wife, Mary. They have three adult children, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law and three grandsons, all of whom live nearby.

Dave is the recipient of the 2009 West Suburban Philanthropic Network Distinguished Service Award, the 2022 Loaves & Fishes Community Partner Award, the 2022 West Suburban Philanthropic Network Humanitarian of the Year Award, the 2022 Career & Networking Center Service Award and the 2022 People's Resource Center Community Impact Award.