Hillary Salmons

It has been an intensive three months partnering with James D. Klote & Associates who has wowed us all at the First Unitarian Church.

Our Klote consultant has been a super partner from the get go. The Focus Group Readiness Assessment process went off brilliantly with all the fussy intellectuals loving the visual presentation. He was quick to build trust with all of us Yankees – no easy task!    Building ownership has always been my community organization strategy and one well suited to Unitarians. Everyone appreciates the iterative inclusive process and that each step includes and respects all perspectives. His report was great at including all perspectives and enabling us to move forward at a good speed.

The consultant has a gift for communicating with all walks of life and has clicked with everyone – and trust me there are a fair number of quirkers – including me. Our very prestigious Brown University trustee and State Department diplomat and co-chair, like me, appreciates our JDK&A consultant’s organizational and operation attention to details and his diplomatic way of encouraging folks to stick with the proven process rather than second guess it.

I know the staff appreciate his fun loving collaborative nature. Relieving them of extra burden was one of the goals of having one of your in-house experts.  He has joined the staff as a key team player working brilliantly with everyone. He has found common ground through his love of Broadway musicals with the most important staff leader – Nancy, our brilliant director of operations. I know Liz appreciates his energy, teamwork and ability to map out the process for us all.

I suspect he was as excited as the rest of us at meeting our half way goal in time for the kick off event where he starred as party planner and performer!

We cannot thank you enough for all he is doing to get us to our goal and hopefully beyond. It is a joy working with him. Our Klote consultant puts the FUN in fundraising and has infected the entire church community with his can-do energy.  People are signing up to be on our team because of this!!

I am so grateful to our consultant and the Klote process! Thanks to you both!!