Advisors
Candace Chromy
Candace Chromy has 10 years of experience in nonprofit management and fund development. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills in hiring, training, and managing employees and volunteers. She is adept at creating innovative programs and developing community relationships.
With the Scholars Hope Foundation where she was Director of Development, she oversaw the creation and implementation of the Make a Play for Hope Gala, resulting in the most successful fundraising event in the history of the organization. Candace also instituted a stewardship program that allowed her to systematically meet with donors and stakeholders thereby increasing gifts by a substantial amount.
In her prior role as Executive Director of the Heritage Museum of Orange County, she was hired by the Board of Directors to save this organization from bankruptcy. During her tenure, Candace increased social enterprise income, program revenues, and grant awards, which brought solvency to the organization.
These exigent actions by her allowed the museum to thrive under her leadership. A Smithsonian exhibit, Civil War reenactments, historical signature anniversaries, Gospel swamp wetland restoration, Urban Farm creation, Early European adobe construction, and the iconic Farm Windmill which stands proudly to this day, are testaments to her legacy of persistence, goodwill, and love of this organization.
Candace was also engaged as an Area Director of Cap Amerique, a nonprofit foreign exchange program that brought European students to experience our Southern California lifestyle, improve English language skills and create lifelong connections to American students and families.
Her private sector background includes ownership of her own business – a retail gourmet food store, cooking school, and corporate gift company. In addition to being a business owner, Candace has worked in various account management positions for Fortune 500 companies where achieving sales goals was always her top priority. For two years, Candace lived and worked in our nation’s first national park, Yellowstone, as part of the management team of the Lake Yellowstone Hotel.
Throughout her career, Candace has enjoyed creating new programs, experiencing new frontiers, and most meaningful, mentoring people to become the best representations of themselves.
Candace is a graduate of the Hospitality Management program from Washington State University where she earned her twin Bachelor of Arts degrees. She enjoys yoga and traveling and resides in San Clemente, California with her husband Jim.
Jim Eckel, J.D., CFP
Jim consults with nonprofit organizations to develop charitable/planned gift programs. He was the originator and director of the planned giving program with the USS Midway Museum where he raised several millions of dollars in both major and planned gifts, established a professional advisor network, and conceptualized the corporate sponsorship program for the museum. Jim was the recipient of the 2013 Best Gift Legacy Mission Video Award from Crescendo Interactive.
He was director of development for the Heritage Museum of Orange County and was responsible for the best fundraising year since the museum’s separation from the Discovery Museum, 15 years earlier.
Acting as a charitable consultant, Jim created a marketing campaign called ASAP - Advising, Social-Emotional, Academic Program for the Scholars Hope Foundation, providing the organization a concise and clear explanation of the services provided to the general public.
Having worked with companies such as Merrill Lynch, New York Life, CUNA Mutual, and Transamerica Insurance and Investments, Jim possesses a true understanding of financial products and how they can make great charitable gifts.
Jim holds a law degree from Western State College of Law, the CFP and CLU designations, and a Business Administration degree from Cal State East Bay, CA.
He is the author of several financial books ...
Planning for the Golden Years with Variable Annuities
Survey of Advanced Sales (CE Course)
Conserve Your Wealth in SEVEN Easy Steps
Charitable Giving Quick Reference Guide
He is a past president of the Planned Giving Round Tables of Orange and San Diego counties. Jim resides in San Clemente with his wife Candace and is an active hiker.
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