While attending a recent seminar   “Building Your Database” training for nonprofits by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) West Texas – Southern New Mexico Chapter conducted by Jim Peak, CFRE and Cindy Peak Hoffmann, CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) at Zia Therapy Center in Alamogordo something not unusual happened. 

Just before the meeting started I stopped at the head table to speak to the presenters, as we were finishing the conversation Cindy said ”Look dad he is a Lion too”. This led to a conversation in which I found out that Mr. James M. Peak was not only a Lion for 32 years who belongs to the El Paso Downtown Lions Club which he eagerly told me is the oldest and largest club in El Paso, but he is also the current District Governor of West Texas District 2T3. 

Now being that he was not wearing a Lions Pin I could not let that pass. At lunch break I went to  my car and brought back a Breakfast Lions Club Frying Pan pin which was attached to his lapel before the afternoon session proceeded. 

The moral to the story is that if you are not wearing your Lions pin you will never know who you might miss meeting.

Cindy Peak Hoffman led the recent $6 million dollar fund raising campaign which will build the new Hospice House in Las Cruces.

Mr. Peak is a 30-year veteran of fundraising both on the regional basis and nationwide.   He served as president of the El Paso-Southern New Mexico Chapter for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) for two years.   He was awarded the first “Certified Fund Raising Executive” (CFRE) in the area, and in 2000 was named the “Outstanding Fundraising Executive of the Year” by the National Society of Fundraising Executives.

During the past sixteen years, Mr. Peak has conducted fundraising feasibility studies and comprehensive campaigns and consulted non-profit organizations in twenty states resulting in over $500 million in gifts. 

Jim served as chief development officer for the University of Texas-El Paso for twelve years.   He is credited with raising over $100 million for UTEP, including the endowment for the Presidential Scholarship Fund, the Library Endowment Fund, and the first endowment fund for the athletic department.   He started the Providence Memorial Hospital Foundation in 1989, generating over $10 million in assets and later served as campaign director for the $2 million El Paso Lighthouse for the Blind renovation project.   The media in the Greater El Paso/Las Cruces area often refer to Jim Peak as the local “Dean of Fundraising”.

Mr. Peak has extensive experience in annual giving, major gift solicitation, planned giving, campaign management and planning, board development and training, volunteer and staff training, public relations, professional career development and ethics, and fundraising.   He has given seminars and presentations at numerous AFP, CASE, AHP, APRA, Estate Planning, Life Insurance and Financial Planning meetings.

Jim Peak is married to Julia Lord Peak, and they have four grown children, including his co-presenter, Cindy.