Our Team
Founder and Special Projects Consultant
As one of the first Chamber professionals to start his own consulting firm, Howard Benson is largely responsible for creating the specialized field of fundraising for chambers of commerce and economic development organizations. Howard hired and trained dozens of people now scattered across several firm...
President & CEO
Since joining NCDS in 1995, Tom DiFiore has directed, supervised, and developed hundreds of fundraising campaigns for diverse client organizations in communities across the U.S. Thousands of direct solicitations, confidential interviews, and committee meetings have developed his skills in aligning client programs with stakeholder interests. Afte...
Sr. Project Executive
Al Doeve joined NCDS in 2008 after working with NCDS in his capacity as a client volunteer board member. A true lifetime learner, Al has effectively integrated a variety of skills and experiences with NCDS’ proven methodology to achieve consistent success for over a doze...
Senior Project Executive
Rick offers NCDS clients deep, relevant experience in economic development along with strong management and communications skills to deliver campaigns that produce both financial resources and strategies for program implementation and community impact. His background with public-private organizations and Universities gives Rick a solid foundatio...
Senior Project Executive
Craig Glogowski is a seasoned campaign director and has worked with dozens of community and economic development organizations across the U.S. His has also served non-profit organizations as both a senior executive, and as a volunteer. NCDS clients benefit from Craig’s confident engagement with to...
Chief Financial Officer
Deb Hoyt has been directing NCDS’s financial and administrative departments and serving its clients since 1993. With over 30 years of business management, human resource, accounting, and finance experience in various industries, she is especially adept at interacting with the finance officers of NCDS’s diverse rang...
Senior Project Executive
Two words best summarize Tom Micelotta’s value to NCDS clients: experience and success. He has managed dozens of campaigns and feasibility studies in a variety of communities for a broad spectrum of community and economic development organizations, raising over $100 million in the process. Hi...
Economic Strategy Center
Trygve (“Trygg”) Vigmostad brings NCDS clients broad experience raising funds and success with development programs in both the public and private sectors. As Director of the Economic Strategy Center, Trygve uses local and national data sources and economic modeling to develop persuasive, compelling rational for publi...
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