H E RE AT T H E H E ART
Sacred Heart Welcomes
New Director
T
his past winter, David Zanitsch, MA, CFRE, as-
sumed his new responsibilities as a member of the
Sacred Heart Major Seminary (SHMS) family as
director of institutional advancement. The Office
of Institutional Advancement has primary respon-
sibilities for four key areas at the seminary – philanthropy, alumni
relations, special events, and marketing and communications.
Zanitsch brings to Sacred Heart a variety of
both non-profit and for-profit corporate experi-
ence. From serving as parish administrator in the
Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, to
being on the adjunct faculty of Silver Lake Col-
lege of the Holy Family, to his work in financial
services, all of his experiences allowed Zanitsch
to begin immediately adding value to SHMS.
When asked about fundraising, Zanitsch is
quick to respond by identifying it instead as phi-
lanthropy. While the words may seem to mean the
same, they reflect two very different approaches
to charitable giving. According to Zanitsch, phi-
lanthropy is “highly relational” – focused on the
goals and desires of the individual donor (or fam-
ily) and not just the needs of the organization.
Zanitsch’s enthusiasm and motivation in this
challenging field are generated from the joy he
receives in working with individuals who believe
in the mission of Sacred Heart and the Church
and have a desire to invest in its success.
Zanitsch’s early career started in higher educa-
tion, where he worked in administration at Tru-
man State University in Kirksville, Missouri, and
the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minne-
sota. While serving as parish administrator in St.
Paul, the entrepreneur within Zanitsch created
a specialty retail food distribution business that
was eventually purchased by an international
food corporation.
Always remaining open to God’s call, Zanitsch
returned to his non-profit roots working for the
Catholic Diocese of Fargo as Director of Steward-
ship and Development. The diocese’s episcopal
leader Bishop James Sullivan is a Sacred Heart
Major Seminary graduate.
While new to Detroit, Zanitsch has previously
lived in Michigan. His work in philanthropy led
him to work for Catholic hospitals in Michigan,
North Dakota, and Colorado. Zanitsch was active
in every community, and held leadership roles in
Knights of Columbus, Boys Scouts, Habitat for
Humanity, and United Way. It’s a godsend to Za-
nitsch that his career has offered the opportunity
to blend his professional responsibilities with his
commitment to give back to the community.
When Zanitsch arrived at the gates of Sacred
Heart, it was thirty years after he first worked for
the Catholic Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The
opportunity to return to work for the Church
and contribute to the mission of Sacred Heart
Major Seminary is a true blessing for him.
shms.edu
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