Rev. Charles W. (“Chuck”) Savage, II will retire as CEO of The Georgia United Methodist Foundation (“GUMF”) effective July 1, 2016. Chuck joined the GUMF Board in 1992 and has served in leadership positions since July of 2006 when he became Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Soon after the merger with the South Georgia United Methodist Foundation in 2010, he became CEO in early 2011. Under Chuck’s leadership the staff has doubled in size from four full time staff and one part time employee in 2006 to eight full time and two part time employees in 2016. Foundation assets have increased from 58.7 million dollars in 2006 to 125 million dollars in 2016. During Chuck’s tenure, the GUMF has strategically and creatively structured, sold, and closed tailored borrowing arrangements for churches and para-church ministries, provided education and guidance on planned giving for individuals through webinars offered to churches, opened doors to serve African American churches and cemetery funds, provided guidance as the two Georgia United Methodist foundations merged into one, and implemented a customer care software program designed to provide better communication with new and existing church relationships. Chuck has been passionate about Georgia United Methodist churches capturing part of the largest generational transfer of wealth in history, which will occur in the United States over the next thirty to forty years as The Greatest Generation and Baby Boomers pass over forty trillion dollars to their heirs and favorite charities. He has worked tirelessly to provide information, financial assistance, and inspiration to Methodist pastors and churches throughout the State. “Because Chuck is willing to work weekends and evenings visiting churches,” says GUMF Director of Planned Giving, Nancy Young, “People see his authenticity and passion for helping them and respond positively.” Inside and outside GUMF doors, Chuck is seen as a “marketing visionary with a pastor’s heart,” says GUMF Communications Manager, Diana Durie. He is further credited by his staff with being a supportive supervisor, a compassionate and caring servant leader, and a “10+ boss if I had to rank him.” Chuck’s marketing experience began with his thirty two year career at IBM. Chuck brought a successful sales background to the GUMF table as he encouraged the staff to get out and make contacts, feeding them the IBM mantra, “Calls plus demos equal sales.” After leaving IBM and training for ministry, Chuck served as senior pastor of several United Methodist churches in the North Georgia Conference, with his most recent appointment being Kingswood UMC in Dunwoody, GA. Chuck’s successor, Rev. Keith Lawder, notes, “Chuck has put in place the building blocks for continued strong growth and has paved the way for the GUMF to realize the vision of enabling all Methodist churches in Georgia to develop and sustain programs to make disciples.” Chuck serves as a Board member of The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation and on the Advisory Committees of Action Ministries and The Atlanta Roswell District of the UMC. He has been elected three times as a clergy delegate from the North Georgia Conference to the quadrennial General Conference. Chuck is a 1967 graduate of Savannah State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and mathematics. He received his Masters of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta in 2001 and was ordained as an elder in the Methodist Church in 2004. Chuck and his lovely wife of forty nine years, Mary, have two children, Charles, III and Kirsten, and four grandchildren, Caleb (17), Charles, IV (15), Jacqueline (13) and Marianne (9). When he is not working on GUMF matters or attending an event in which his grandchildren are participating, Chuck enjoys watching basketball and playing golf. This article was originally published in the Georgia United Methodist Foundation's 2015 Annual Report. - See more at: http://www.gumf.org/gumf-president/ceo-rev.-chuck-savage-ii-to-retire#sthash.cm6zKa6B.dpuf
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