About Our Name

People often ask about our name. It reflects the collaboration and friendship of Andrew H. Smith, Chairman; Richard W. Beers, Senior Vice President: and James D. Yunker, President and CEO, who combined their expertise in management and fundraising consulting to form Smith Beers Yunker & Company in 1995. Having worked together in a variety of capacities throughout the past three decades, the men have long shared the common vision of providing services and support to those who strive to improve the world around them.

Andrew Smith, who resides in the United Kingdom, is a Fellow of the Institute of Fundraising, an honor bestowed on only 28 individuals in the UK. In the US, Richard Beers brings more than 30 years of for-profit and nonprofit management consulting and strategic planning expertise to the SBY team. Jim Yunker has been a champion of philanthropy since his college days, having written his doctoral dissertation on the topic of donor motivation. The three are joined in their mission by a diverse team of knowledgeable and dedicated professionals who provide specialized expertise when and where it is needed by client organizations.