Edward A. Lemma
President

Edward A. Lemma is an experienced, professional development executive with over 30 years counseling religious institutions and communities in planning and directing campaigns to raise capital, debt reduction and endowment funds.

Mr. Lemma graduated from the University of Portland in 1970. He spent two years as an admission's counselor and then served as development director for Central Catholic High School. In 1975 Mr. Lemma joined Community Counseling Service as an executive director. Over a 19 year period he rose to Managing Partner and Vice President of Operations for Western North America, Hawaii and Mexico. He has designed or directed over 300 campaigns that have raised over $300 million for religious, educational, social, cultural, civic and healthcare causes.

Mr. Lemma has been called upon to assist multi-million dollar campaigns. These include worldwide, $234 million Polio Plus campaign for Rotary International; the $5 million campaign for the Casa Eclesial para Mexico in Mexico City; and the $16.5 million "Called to Excellence" campaign for California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

Mr. Lemma is a member of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a member of Pi Delta (Societe d'Honneur Francaise), a member of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (NFP) and an advisor to several boards and organizations. In 1991 Mr. Lemma was appointed the Founding Chairman of the National Alumni Board for the University of Portland.

In 1993 Mr. Lemma founded Development Services Group (DSG), a regional consulting firm specializing in fundraising counsel to parishes, schools, religious institutions and communities. DSG has headquarters in Westlake Village, California.

For thirty years, Mr. Lemma has been married to Kathleen Kelly. They have two children, reside in Oak Park, California, and are active members of St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in Westlake Village.