EDDIE THOMPSON, Ed.D., FCEP
FOUNDER AND CEO, THOMPSON & ASSOCIATES
Eddie founded the unique Thompson & Associates process in 1996. As CEO of Thompson & Associates, Eddie provides leadership and direction to around 30 seasoned charitable estate planners with an inspiring sense of generosity, integrity and passion for helping others.
By creating a unique values-based model at Thompson & Associates, Eddie and his team have established a way for people to dedicate the necessary time to consider important life decisions and to engage in thoughtful discussion that leads to optimal results for all.
He has planned thousands of estates, which has generated billions of dollars to charity during his thirty plus years working with nonprofits. Eddie speaks to organizations from coast to coast on successful fundraising techniques, nonprofit management and charitable estate planning and has garnered many honors during his distinguished career. He credits his parents with shaping his personal and professional path; they were very poor, but very generous.
Eddie serves as the Chair of the Charitable Estate Planning Institute, a 501(c)(3) public charity offering top level education on charitable estate planning for development staff, gift planning officers and professional advisors. Eddie and a group of Thompson & Associates colleagues formed the Institute in 2012. He is also a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning (FCEP) awarded by the Institute.
A native of Florida, Eddie and his wife, Sheryl, have been married more than 50 years and have made Nashville their home. They have two sons, one daughter and four grandchildren. Eddie and his family are involved in many community organizations and their church. He was an active instrument pilot with both land and seaplane ratings but has since retired from flying preferring to enjoy life on his farm with the grandkids.
JOHNI HAYS, JD
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
THOMPSON & ASSOCIATES
With more than 30 years of experience as a practicing attorney in charitable and
estate planning, Johni Hays is a recognized leader with her expertise in charitable gift
planning. Johni is an Executive Vice President with Thompson & Associates. She served
as the president of the Charitable Estate Planning Institute and she is the author of the
book, Essentials of Annuities and co-author of two books, The Tools and Techniques of
Charitable Planning and Message From the Masters—our Best Donor Stories that Made
a Difference. Johni serves on the Smithsonian’s Professional Advisors Network in
Washington, DC.
In 2021, Johni was inducted into the National Association of Charitable Gift
Planners Hall of Fame and received their Distinguished Service Award in 2020. She also
served on its board of directors and has been a charter member of its Leadership Institute.
She served on the Editorial Advisory Board for the books Tax Facts on Investments and
Tax Facts on Insurance and Employee Benefits. She serves as a founding charitable
planning author of Steve Leimberg’s electronic newsletter service, LISI. Johni has been
quoted in the Wall Street Journal and has published charitable planning articles in Estate
Planning Magazine, Planned Giving Today, Fundraising Success, Life Insurance Selling
and the National Underwriter magazines.
Johni is in demand as a national lecturer on estate and charitable planning,
probate, living wills, annuities, life insurance, retirement planning and IRAs, as well as
income, estate and gift taxation. Johni has been engaged in the practice of law with an
emphasis in charitable and estate planning since 1993.
Prior to joining Thompson & Associates, Johni served as the Senior Gift Planning
Consultant for The Stelter Company. Prior to that as the Executive Director of the
Greater Des Moines Community Foundation Planned Giving Institute. In addition, Johni
practiced estate planning with Myers Krause and Stevens, Chartered law firm in Naples
Florida, where she specialized in estate planning.
Johni graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University in
Des Moines, Iowa, in 1993. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business
Administration from Drake University and graduated magna cum laude in 1988. Johni
has been a member of both the Iowa Bar and the Florida Bar since 1993. She resides in
Johnston, Iowa, with her husband, Dave Schlindwein.
Join the Planned Giving Council of Middle Tennessee and Association of Fundraising Professionals to learn best practices for advisors, attorneys and gift officers working together. Panelists will explore the roles of these professionals in the optimal charitable gift planning process. Gain insight into the key elements and questions that are important, and how to make the process as meaningful and efficient as possible.
Dr. Burton Williams
Ayers Foundation
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Burton Williams became the Chief Executive Officer of the Ayers Foundation Trust in 2023. Dr. Williams is a veteran leader in business, development, and education. He spent nearly 25 years in higher education administration, community engagement, academics, and research. Most recently, Dr. Williams was the Director of Trustcore Institutional at TrustCore located in Brentwood, TN. He previously served as Associate Vice President for Advancement, as well as Assistant Dean of the College of Education and Associate Dean of the College of Business at Lipscomb University in Nashville. He earlier held similar roles at Freed-Hardeman University in West Tennessee.
Dr. Williams serves on the Board of Jackson State Community College Foundation, The Foundation for the College System of Tennessee, and is the Past-President of the Financial Planning Association of Middle, TN. He has a Doctor of Education from Lipscomb University, a Master of Science in financial planning, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Freed-Hardeman University.
Amy Fair
Community Foundation of Middle TN
Director of Philanthropic Services
Amy Fair is the Director of Philanthropic Services at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT), where she oversees and manages relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government partners. She uses her expertise and knowledge of philanthropy to oversee complex gift transactions and legacy giving, offer support to families engaged in multi-generational giving, and develop content and tools for donors.
Amy has worked for nearly 25 years with donors who have partnered with their local community foundation to achieve their charitable giving goals and establish legacy gifts for the future. Amy began her work in community foundations at the Columbus Foundation in Columbus, Ohio. There she worked with several multi-generational families and a few corporations staffing their charitable foundations where she managed grant programs, facilitated board meetings, and created family giving activities. Attending graduate school at Vanderbilt University brought Amy to Nashville, where she began her first role with the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. During her most recent tenure since 2011, original roles have remained, while others were added to help expand the philanthropic footprint of the Community Foundation, including work on public/private partnerships with Metro Nashville, supporting donors with charitable estate planning, and helping to open more than 170 charitable funds to benefit the Middle Tennessee community and beyond.
Amy’s time away from the office is spent enjoying Nashville’s greenways, Metro and State Parks, and the broad range of arts and cultural events available in the community. She is also an active donor and fundholder with the Women’s Fund’s Girls Give Initiative and a founding member who has also served on the grant committee of Impact100 Nashville, a women’s giving circle that has given away more than $1.2 million over the last decade. Amy is a graduate of the Ohio State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. She is also a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned a master’s degree in Education with a focus on Institutional Advancement.
Jeff Mobley
Mobley & Gontarek, PLLC
Partner
Jeff Mobley is a member of Mobley & Gontarek, PLLC and concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, wills, trusts, estate administration and related matters. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and currently teaches Estate Planning at Belmont University College of Law. Jeff also teaches Wills and Estate Planning at Nashville School of Law.
Jeff has served as President of the Nashville Estate Planning Council, as Chair of the Probate Court Committee of the Nashville Bar Association, and as an officer and Director of the Nashville Bar Association. Jeff is a co-author of Pritchard on the Laws of Wills and Administration of Estates, a three-volume treatise on the laws pertaining to wills and probate in Tennessee. Pritchard is frequently cited by Tennessee Courts in rulings and opinions
Jeff is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2001-2023 editions) and Mid-South Super Lawyers (2005-2023 editions). Jeff has the AV (highest) rating for ethical standards and legal ability from Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review ratings system.
Jeff graduated with High Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Kentucky and received his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law, Order of the Coif (top 10%), and served on the Law Review. He is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Kentucky.