Jon Dize
Jon Dize, advancement director for The Lutheran Schools Partnership, received two prestigious honors—the Outstanding Chapter Leader Award and the Creativity Award—during the annual national conference of the Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE) in Indianapolis in February.
ALDE is an international community of fundraising and communications professionals rooted in the Lutheran tradition of the Christian faith and dedicated to serving God's people in the church and the world as it inspires, connects, and equips Christians for excellence in philanthropy. The Outstanding Chapter Leader Award is designed to honor an ALDE member who has demonstrated an ongoing vision, a commitment to leadership, a desire to strengthen his or her local chapter, and a sincere appreciation to help other chapter members be successful. Dize earned the Creativity Award for leading the creation of the new Lutheran Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) of Indiana. The Lutheran SGO of Indiana exists to raise funds from individuals and businesses to provide scholarship funds to all eligible students wanting to attend an Indiana Lutheran school. Currently, 21 Lutheran schools in Indiana are a part of the new SGO.Dize, a certified fundraising executive (CFRE), serves as president of the ALDE Indiana-Michigan Chapter. Nominated for the awards by other chapter members, Dize was lauded as a "'Class A' ALDE leader" and one who "has worked effortlessly to meet chapter goals, plan new programs, and exceed expectations. His enthusiasm for ALDE inspires others and is contagious. He is known to face any chapter challenge with a trusting Christian heart."Dize has been serving The Lutheran Schools Partnership for two years. "We've been greatly blessed by Jon's expertise and service as advancement coordinator," says Mark Muehl, director of The Lutheran Schools Partnership. "And he's gone above and beyond with his work on the Lutheran SGO of Indiana, an entity aimed at making a high-quality, Christ-centered education available to more students, not just in northeast Indiana, but throughout the state. He worked closely with The Nichols Company, a Fort Wayne marketing firm, on that project."The mission of The Lutheran Schools Partnership is to serve The Lutheran Schools by providing vital services that promote enrollment growth, secure third-source funding, achieve academic excellence, and develop teachers and administrators. The Lutheran Schools comprise preschools, 17 elementary schools, and Concordia Lutheran High School in northeast Indiana.
