Janice M. Albano, Associate Treasurer, Mount Holyoke College
Dennis Bidwell is very knowledgeable of the intricacies of real estate gifts. Thanks to him we recently completed a gift of mid-west farmland from a donor living abroad. Dennis has also worked with us to develop a policy document on real estate gifts, conducted a training session for Development staff, and helped us decide to decline a gift of property that had more potential problems than benefits. We greatly value his advice and counsel.
Catherine E. Baer, Vice President for Development, Vassar College
Dennis Bidwell has been tremendously helpful in educating us all about how to attract significant real estate gifts to Vassar. Our retainer relationship with Bidwell Advisors means Dennis is available for staff training, marketing assistance, meeting with prospects, and coaching our staff on the range of real estate gift structures we should be discussing with our prospects.
Peter Kimball, Director of Gift Planning, Harvard University
Dennis provided expert leadership, negotiation and project management skills to our land trust’s effort to acquire an unusually complicated conservation restriction on a property with great environmental and historic significance.
Ruth Constantine, Vice President for Finance and Administration, Smith College
Dennis Bidwell combines an understanding of the legal, financial and operational complications of real estate with a sensitivity to the mission and organizational complexities of an institution like Smith College.
Jan S. Adams, Senior Vice President and Manager, Charitable Asset Management, State Street Global Advisors
Dennis does a wonderful job presenting the complexities of charitable real estate gift arrangements in a highly understandable and engaging way.
Al Griggs, A. L. Griggs Industries
Dennis Bidwell has been an enormous help to me and my siblings by clearly explaining the complex procedures and options for land management, conservation and family planning decisions we are considering for three properties that have been owned by our family for decades.
Ruben Orduña, Vice President for Development, The Boston Foundation
Because of his extensive real estate background, his understanding of how community foundations work, and his ability to work sensitively with donor prospects and their advisors, The Boston Foundation turned to Dennis Bidwell when we needed assistance in developing a major, and very complicated, potential real estate gift.
Richard Evans, Attorney
I recently brought Dennis in to help an aging client identify all his options regarding possible real estate gift structures. His depth of knowledge in this area was most helpful to my client and to me.
Scott Lumpkin, Associate Vice Chancellor, University of Denver
Dennis has been a valuable partner in taking our real estate gifts program to a new level. He helped us build on a solid, but sporadic, history of real estate gifts and develop streamlined internal processes that will enable us to be more intentional and proactive in pursuing and closing a full range of real estate gifts.
Peter Mali on behalf of Adair Mali, Kate Mali Pingeon, and Taylor Mali
Dennis Bidwell was instrumental in helping my siblings and me donate a conservation easement on part of our family’s land in Connecticut. He was great to work with: he asked incisive questions and came up with creative solutions, all with good humor, clarity, and sensitivity. My siblings and I are all close, but finding common ground among the four of us on this project was not an easy task. Dennis’ demeanor and skills as a mediator were enormously helpful; he was calm and was a skilled listener who helped each of us articulate our individual needs and desires. Dennis got us to focus on the nuanced differences among our perspectives. Ultimately, he was able to craft a compromise that put a conservation easement on some of the property — which has been in the family for over 40 years — and he did so on schedule and on budget.
Leslie Harris, Executive Director, Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society
Dennis Bidwell brings a detailed and specialized knowledge of real estate transactions that most non-profits do not have in house. We were fortunate to have had Dennis walk us through potential land purchase scenarios, including complicated charitable giving approaches. The seller even expressed to me his delight in being able to work with someone as knowledgeable and professional as Dennis.