Distinguished Service Award

The NCGPC Distinguished Service Award (DSA) honors a planned giving, development or allied professional, or a volunteer leader in gift planning, with an exemplary record of service in the field. The award recipient exemplifies:

  • demonstrated quality leadership in gift planning;
  • longevity in gift planning (a minimum of 5 years);
  • specific achievements in promoting and securing planned gifts;
  • service to the gift planning profession, through participation in The National; Association of Charitable Gift Planners and/or NCGPC; and
  • adherence to the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner.

Call for 2024 Distinguished Service Award Nominations

The National Capital Gift Planning Council (NCGPC) is proud to continue the 28-year history of the Distinguished Service Award at PG Day 2024 on Thursday, June 6, 2024.

Please use the DSA nomination form, filling in all information and supporting materials (such as letters of endorsement). Be sure to include your name, address, and preferred phone number. If you have any questions about the award or nominations, please contact Lauren Hancock, 2024 DSA Chair at lauren.hancock@hiusa.org.

Completed forms and supporting materials must be received by Friday, March 15, 2024, at 5:00 PM ET to: ncgpc@ascent-management.com.

2022 Distinguished Service Award Honoree

Rosalyn Ham-CrossThe National Capital Gift Planning Council (NCGPC) is proud to announce Rosalyn “Missy” Ham-Cross, Gift Planning Officer with the American Red Cross, as the 27th recipient of its Distinguished Service Award.

Missy has been an active member of the gift planning community for more the 25 years. The beginning years of her career were spent with the Smithsonian Institution and the National Air and Space Museum. For the last 15 years, Missy has been a Gift Planning Officer with the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C., where she persistently works with leadership, staff, donors, and volunteers to spread the gift planning message throughout her region. With her dedication to professionalism and relationship building, Missy has raised more than $20 million in planned giving gift commitments and irrevocable gifts for the American Red Cross.

Missy is a long-time member of NCGPC and CGP and has given back to the gift planning community throughout the years by volunteering for a variety of leadership positions including committee member, board member, chair of PG Days in 2009 and 2010, and President of NCGPC. Additionally, Missy served on CGP’s 2021 National Conference Educational Programming Committee where she helped evaluate and select the Conference presenters.

The council enjoyed celebrating Missy’s well-deserved Distinguished Service Award selection at the 2022 PG Days, June 7-8, 2022.

Past DSA Honorees

27th 2022 Rosalyn “Missy” Ham-Cross
26th 2021 E. John McKee
25th 2020 Jane Kolson
24th 2019 Patricia G. Wang
23rd 2018 John B. Kendrick, CAP ®
22nd 2017 Phyllis Freedman
21st 2016 Ed Cadogan
20th 2015 Chris McGurn
19th 2014 John Jensen, CFP
18th 2013 Ann Worley
17th 2012 Carla Rosati, CFRE
16th 2011 Karen Gallardo, CFRE
15th 2010 Annie Coppola
14th 2009 Gayle S. Union, CFRE
13th 2008 Mary Todd Hardeman
Annual Award Year Recipient
12th 2007 Kathryn L. Ward, CFRE
11th 2006 Angela W. Sosdian
10th 2005 Arthur T. Keefe III
9th 2004 Robert J. Brennan
8th 2003 Jeffrey W. Comfort
7th 2002 Doug White
6th 2001 Phil Melberg
5th 2000 Jerry Anderson (deceased)
4th 1999 Jim Potter (deceased)
3rd 1998 Jerry McCoy (deceased)
2nd 1997 Ron Sapp
1st 1996 Brenden Haggerty

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