(By Weijuan Shi)
As Michelle mentioned in the last blog, our CRM database system built on Microsoft Dynamics is live now. As the “Chief Finance Officer”, I needed to make sure we do our due diligences and find the right financial source to pay our license dues, as all our donations are 100% directly used on schools/students/teachers. One of MBA classmates Glen Kurisingal happened to be in Dynamics team and manages their customer program. I asked Glen to see if there is any discount for non-profit orgs if we join their pre-release program TAP (Technology Adoption Program). Glen pointed me to the actual owner of the TAP program on the Dynamics CRM team Jim Doran. Unfortunately there is no such discount program. But the good news was - Jim and Glen offered to sponsor the cost of 3 user licenses fee of our database. What a great surprise!
In addition, Jim shared that his grandfather Colonel (ret) William McCullough was one of the “Flying Tigers” (飞虎队) of the Air Force. He’s 97 now (see picture below), “served in defense of China from 1939-1944 and loved the country and people, willing to risk his life for them”, Jim added. I was so amazed to hear that. What a fortune CTEF has donors like this!
Colonel (ret) William McCullough, 97, with great grandsons
