Dr. Don Tharpe

Dr. Don Tharpe began his career in association management spans more than 30 years. Don served as Chief Operations Officer of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. CFP Board is a nonprofit organization that serves the public interest by promoting the value of professional, competent and ethical financial planning services. Don also served as President & CEO of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation. PAHEF is a U.S. based public charity. Don served as President & CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. The CBCF is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy, research and educational institute.

Prior to that appointment, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Council on Foundations. The Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association of more than 2,000 grantmaking foundations and corporations. COF has a staff of 110 and budget of approximately $18 million.

Don was also Executive Director of the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), a position he held for 12 years. In addition to Don’s extensive management background, he has consulted for several nonprofit organizations, written numerous articles on association management and served on the board of several nonprofit organizations. He was a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and a former vice chair of its board. Don is an ASAE Fellow. An honor bestowed on fewer than 200 association executives from ASAE’s membership of over 25,000.

Tharpe is a graduate of Murray State University (KY) where he received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees. Tharpe received the 2005 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Murray State University. He earned his doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic & State University in Blacksburg, VA.