The Board of Directors support the work of because I said I would and provide mission-based leadership and strategic governance. While day-to-day operations are led by because I said I would’s Founder, the Board-Founder relationship is a partnership, and the appropriate involvement of the Board is both critical and expected. We are currently seeking board volunteers with professional experience in marketing, law and finance.

If you are interested in a board position, please fill out the form below.

Current Board Members

Danny Smith, Chair

Danny Smith has been in the field of financial advising for nearly 40 years. He is the president of Daniels Financial Group where he helps his clients plan financially for the things that they want to right and to be prepared when things go wrong. He is the author of the Amazon.com #1 best seller “The Baby Boomer’s Guide to a Rockin’ and Rollin’ Retirement.” He is a Qualifying and Life Member of the Million Dollar Roundtable (MDRT) and serves on the Executive Board of the Cleveland / Akron Chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals (FSP). A passionate and moving speaker, he has been asked to speak all over the US and internationally.

Danny lives in Avon, Ohio and has been married to his wife Brenda for over 40 years. In their leisure they enjoy spending time with their family, travelling, and checking out classic rock concerts.

Securities and advisory services offered through Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Daniels Financial Group and Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc are not affiliated.

Pete Pruszynski

Pete graduated Cum Laude from Kent State University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Business Administration & Marketing Degree. Immediately following college he spent 10 years as a sales consultant with Ohio Edison/First Energy. Pete credits his 10 years as a sales consultant with Ahola Payroll Services as extremely important preparation toward business ownership. During his employment with Ahola, he worked closely with business owners and accountants, gained human resources expertise, and was recognized by Ahola management as Employee of the Year. He also was elected to serve a four-year term as a Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce Board Member, which also included a one-year term as CFCC Board President. As Vice President of Star Therapy & Sales Corp., Pete is responsible for school district contract negotiations, account management, recruitment of employees, human resources and public relations. Dina and Pete, owners of Star Therapy & Sales Corp. reside in Shalersville with their two children. As parents and professionals, they are active community members in the Crestwood School District.

Corry Connelly

Corry graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese with a Minor in International Business from The University of Tennessee/Knoxville and a Master’s in Elementary Education from National Louis University. She also holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Northpark University and an ESL (TSEOL) Certificate from Via Língua International in Florence, Italy where she lived. After graduating college, she worked in the medical industry before deciding to switch careers and become an educator. She is currently the Managing Director of a private foundation in Chicago, Illinois. Corry believes that positive youth development is critical to child’s success. As a former educator, she strives to create and support this vision in her current role as philanthropist. She is passionate about helping children succeed and organizations doing impactful work in underserved communities. Based in Chicago, most days you will find her building relationships with people to further common goals.

Dan Heath

Dan is a Systems Engineer for Cisco Systems, working in London and living in Emsworth, UK with his family. Dan graduated from the University of Manchester in 2009 with a MEng in Civil Engineering and soon after changed industry to IT and Telecoms. During the next decade he worked his way through a number of roles and organisations, all the while volunteering in varying capacities.

In 2019, after a busy couple of years including his fiancée, Rachel, finishing her MA Social Work studies and the birth of his two sons, Dan has set out a plan for his next decade. Armed with a new mission statement/question of “what if we could make it better?” he wants to help people and organisations achieve their best through empowerment and enablement.

Dan’s story with because I said I would began in 2014 when he first heard about the movement, bought the t-shirt, and proceeded to cycle the Pacific Coast from Vancouver to San Diego fulfilling his first Promise Card. Alongside Rachel, Dan hopes to develop the movement’s presence in the UK.

MJ Frumin

A life-long entrepreneur, MJ is a co-founder of Accelion, a company that builds, maintains, and grows ongoing customer engagement and referral pipelines that create incremental sales and revenue growth for companies like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon. A self-directed visionary leader, MJ is passionate about individuals reaching their highest potential, and his specialty is creating a high-performance culture of self-awareness, continuous improvement, and accountability to maximize performance and results.

Outside of work, you will find MJ devoted to his growing family, as well as helping strengthen individuals and communities. He serves the less fortunate through Camp Hope for Kids and Greater Philadelphia Church of Christ and helps protect his community’s resources as a planning commissioner.

Carrie Collins-Fadell, MPA

Carrie is a nonprofit management professional and writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Her passion is well-run nonprofits that provide their clients with efficient programs and services. Raised in Michigan, she led a United Way in Upstate New York before landing in Arizona and becoming enchanted with the endless beauty of the harsh desert landscape. An award-winning author, she is always adding to the existing knowledge of topics such as legacy giving, philanthropy, and nonprofit governance.

She is a tireless advocate for the self-care of those on the front lines in the non-profit sector, healthcare and educational system, and first responders. She travels and presents on the brain basics of preventing compassion fatigue, moral injury, and burnout from a neurological perspective. Some of her favorite things that bring her great joy are her three rescue Chihuahuas, cacti, champagne, and oxford commas- in that order.

Open Board Positions

We are currently seeking board volunteers with professional experience in marketing, law and finance.

Job Title: Board Member
Location: Rocky River, Ohio/Remote
Work hours: 2 board meetings, either virtual or in-person.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Leadership, governance and oversight

Serve as a trusted adviser to the Founder, as he develops and implements because I said I would’s vision
Serve because I said I would board as finance, marketing, or law expert
Review outcomes and metrics created by because I said I would for evaluating its impact, and regularly measuring its performance and effectiveness using those metrics
Approve because I said I would’s annual budget, audit reports, and material business decisions; being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities
Assist the Founder and Board Chair in identifying and recruiting other board members
Partner with the Founder and other board members to ensure that board resolutions are carried out
Serve on committees or task forces and taking on special assignments
Represent because I said I would to stakeholders; acting as an ambassador for the organization

Fundraising

Board members will consider because I said I would a philanthropic priority and make annual gifts that reflect that priority.
Assist with soliciting contributions from foundations, organizations, and individuals
Board members must make an annual contribution of at least $10,000

BOARD TERMS/PARTICIPATION

Board members will serve a three-year term to be eligible for re-appointment for one additional term. Consideration for a third term is allowable after one year hiatus. Board meetings are generally held during second quarter and fourth quarter.

QUALIFICATIONS

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who is passionate about because I said I would’s mission and who has a track record of board leadership. Selected members will have achieved leadership stature in business, government, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector. His/her accomplishments will allow him/her to attract other well-qualified, high-performing board members.

Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:

Extensive professional finance, marketing or law experience in business, government, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector
A commitment to and understanding of because I said I would’s beneficiaries, preferably based on experience
Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships and persuading, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals
Personal qualities of accountability integrity, credibility, and a passion for improving the lives of because I said I would’s beneficiaries
Ability to make and keep a promise

If you are interested in a board position, please fill out the form below.
SUBJECT LINE:Application: Board Member – [Insert Your Name Here]

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