The Council for Advancement and Support of Education named Curtis Baggett '65 the 2012 recipient of The Robert Bell Crow Award and honored him at the national conference in San Francisco in early February.
The award recognizes independent school advancement professionals for their distinguished service to the profession, their school and CASE. It was named in honor of Robert Bell Crow, a former development director at Deerfield Academy. Nominees are judged on their professional achievements, their length of service and their involvement in CASE national and/or district activities.
From the CASE announcement:
Mr. Baggett is director of development at McCallie School in Chattanooga. A graduate of the school, Mr. Baggett began his 40-year career with McCallie in 1972 as a teacher and coach. He later moved from the classroom to admissions and then to fundraising, serving as director of annual gifts, director of capital gifts and director of development. During his 30 years in fundraising at the school, Mr. Baggett has raised millions of dollars, strengthened its volunteer effort and launched numerous new initiatives. Key accomplishments include:
Established the school’s first major gifts program
Directed the 2nd Century Campaign, which raised $175 million in six years, surpassing a 10-year, $125 million goal
Grew endowment for program support from more than $41 million to more than $64 million
Helped secure 26 gifts of $1 million or more
Visited more than 1,000 prospects in 41 states
Beyond his work for McCallie, Mr. Baggett has served as a mentor for many educational fundraisers and is a supporter of the CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conference, which he chaired in 1992 and has served as a speaker for many years.
Mr. Baggett is the second McCallie School recipient of this national honor in the past 11 years. Former Director of Development Mel Cooper received the award in 2001.