Doug Sawyer

When planning the United Way of San Diego County's 90th anniversary program, President and Chief Executive Officer Doug Sawyer said one choice was easy.

"The very first decision we made is, we were not going to do a gala because we don't think that fits with the United Way mission of helping people that are most in need," he said. "So we would much rather do something that increases the visibility about the programs we're doing."

In fact, Sawyer explained that as a general rule, United Way abstains from hosting events and being a competitor for most local nonprofits that earn a good portion of their revenue in that arena. Throughout his five-year leadership, the development aspect of his job has focused on corporate and individual donations, helping contributors understand the value of United Way's programs so they'll continue to invest in its cause.
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