J.D. Wilson – President

J.D. Wilson

President

For more than 39 years, J. D. Wilson has served in nearly every conceivable role as a fundraiser: volunteer campaign worker, capital campaign chair, annual fund director, board member, board chair. From all fundraising perspectives, he has the experience. And his professional experience completes the circle.

After graduating from Wake Forest University in 1969, J.D. became the University’s Associate Director of Alumni Affairs and Director of the College Fund, positions that relied heavily on direct mail for communications, cultivation and fundraising. Many of the programs J.D. initiated while at Wake are still yielding results for the University today. The College Fund was founded during his tenure, with J.D. as its first director. The Class Agent system was installed and embraced throughout the country.

Arnold Palmer was recruited to chair Arnie’s Army, the new, entry-level giving club formed to generate gifts of $100 or more. When J.D. co-founded Excalibur in 1972, Wake Forest was one of his first clients, and still is today. Early in his career at Excalibur, J.D. served as copywriter, account executive and vice president of sales. In the 1970’s, he helped create and implement innovative, personalized direct mail campaigns for Wachovia Bank, product launches for Arista Information Systems (later sold to Xerox), and fundraising programs for Salem Academy and College and Wake Forest University.

He has a strong commitment to business, civic and community involvement for himself, the company and its employees—both as volunteers and as financial contributors. He has held leadership positions on a variety of educational, cultural and civic boards. Currently, he serves as a director of the Winston-Salem Alliance, Safer Communities Foundation, Tanglewood Park Foundation and Reynolda House Museum of American Art, where he is chairman. He is a trustee of the Weatherspoon Art Museum Foundation at UNC-Greensboro and a member of the Arts Advisory Committee at Wake Forest University. He has served on the Board of Visitors of Wake Forest University’s Calloway School of Business and Accountancy. A former trustee of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he is chairman emeritus of its nationally based Board of Visitors. In 2004, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, its first honorary degree based on service.

With his wife, he is chairing the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Arts Council’s $26 million Comprehensive Campaign for the Arts to create a new Downtown Center for the Arts. He is a member of the Arts Council’s Strategic Planning Committee and City of Arts & Innovation branding committee. He and his wife have chaired capital campaigns for Salem Academy and College and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He is a board member of the South African Educational and Environmental Project (SAEP), based in Cape Town, and founded its U. S.-based Advisory Board.