Charles Slamar, Jr.
CharitablePlanning.com Author
Biography
Charles Slamar Jr. is Vice-President of Thompson & Associates based in Chicago, IL.
Charlie is an attorney whose private practice includes advising individuals on tax, estate, and charitable planning; charitable organizations on governance, gift planning, and litigation; and corporate fiduciaries on tax exemption.
Prior professional experience includes eighteen years at Bank of America, where he was a Philanthropic Regional Executive working with individuals and charitable organizations to maximize their resources to strengthen their communities; and nine years as Director of Estate Planning Services for Children’s Memorial Medical Center, where he designed and implemented their planned giving program.
A founding member of the Chicago Council on Planned Giving and two time past President, Charlie was awarded its Russell V. Kohr Memorial Award for Excellence in Planned Giving in 2011. He served on the Board of the National Committee on Planned Giving (now the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning) and has spoken at four of its annual conferences.
Charlie received his B.A. from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) and is currently a member of the Board of Visitors for its Department of Political Science; J.D. from Loyola Law School (Chicago); and LL. M. (Taxation) from John Marshall Law School (Chicago). He is a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning (FCEP) from the Institute of Charitable Estate Planning.
In addition to his other philanthropic activities, Charlie is currently Secretary and Director of The Chicago High School for the Arts, the city’s only public school offering college-preparatory and pre-professional arts training. This high school has its genesis in a foundation Charlie administered.
Understanding Donor Motivations-
Gifts are not irrational acts. They are self-motivated transactions entered into with the expectation of receiving something in return. Just as "self" is not clearly defined, the "something" we expect in return is often intangible. Effective gift planners understand these so-called "soft issues" are just as important as "running the numbers" to illustrate the gift. This article shares insights derived from experiences as both a planned giving and charitable trust officer and offers practical suggestions to help secure the gift.