School of Nursing development director to be honored for significant fundraising achievements

By Malorie Burkett

Edward G. Kardos, director of development for Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Nursing, will be presented with the 2004 Nina Abady Award by the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives (VAFRE).

Named in honor of Nina F. Abady, one of the earliest directors of development in the Richmond area, the award is presented each year, and recognizes an individual's outstanding professional and ethical service to the field of development. Kardos, who was chosen by a VAFRE selection committee, will be honored for his significant achievements in the field of fundraising.

As director of development for VCU's School of Nursing, Kardos has led a comprehensive development enterprise that includes principles, methods, programs and activities to identify, develop and solicit all major fund gifts. His work, "Development for Schools of Nursing: Fundraising to Further Long-Range Strategic Plans," which he co-authored with Dr. Anthony DeLellis and Dr. Nancy F. Langston of the School of Nursing, was published in the May 1999 issue of "Nurse Educator." Kardos also wrote and published "Yours, Aiden," a novel about self-enlightenment and friendship, which was published in 2002 by 1st Books Library. A resident of Richmond, Kardos earned his Bachelor of Science degree in communication arts from James Madison University.

VAFRE is a 300 member non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the professional skills of fundraisers across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The organization was established in 1980 by a small group of development professionals and thrives as the premiere gathering place for beginning, intermediate and advanced fundraisers from Norfolk to Northern Virginia.