Meet 2025 Partner in Philanthropy Award Recipient Doug DeNardo

Doug DeNardo, shareholder and co-chair of the Estates and Trusts Group at Tucker/Arensberg, is the 2025 recipient of the Partner in Philanthropy Award. The award is to a financial advisor who has shown an outstanding commitment to The Pittsburgh Foundation, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County and community.

For DeNardo, the path to becoming a trusted financial advisor was a journey of discovery and mentorship that led to a deep commitment to helping clients with charitable giving.

DeNardo originally majored in accounting at Duquesne University, taking classes to prepare for the CPA exam. However, during a clerkship at a large firm, he realized accounting was not his calling. This realization led him to apply to Duquesne Law School, where he leveraged his accounting background to dive into business law.

"Really, Jim Ummer deserves all the credit for my career path," DeNardo said. "He got me into Trust & Estates and passed along a lot of helpful information and tips for charitable giving. I would not be doing what I do without Jim’s influence."

When DeNardo first began his career in tax, trusts and estates law, federal estate and gift tax deductions dominated the conversation around planned giving. Charitable vehicles were primarily used to lessen these tax burdens, but the conversation evolved as federal estate and gift tax limits dramatically increased over the years.

"Now people are more focused on income tax planning instead of federal estate taxes, but the process has stayed the same," DeNardo said. "During every planning meeting, I ask whether my clients have any charities, churches, colleges or other groups they want to leave a gift for, and many first-time clients say they’ve never thought about it. Then I start to learn some of their priorities and how we can address them together."

An interaction early in his career solidified the value of partnership with The Pittsburgh Foundation. A client expressed a common concern: she was prepared to make a large donation at that time, but she worried the charity would spend it all immediately and return the next year asking for more.

DeNardo introduced her to the Foundation, which helped structure her gift so it would fund her favorite causes in perpetuity and its impact could be felt over time.

"She was so thrilled to have a solution," he recalled. "Then, I discovered an easy way to introduce planned giving to other clients who were hesitant for similar reasons. The Foundation has a solution for that, and clients really enjoy the Foundation’s approach."

In a landscape where donors often worry about whether their money truly reaches its intended destination, DeNardo points to the Foundation's transparency as a key differentiator.

"The bottom line is that The Pittsburgh Foundation does things the right way," he said. "It's easy to convince clients to trust the Foundation because the staff are good at what they do and they’re a pleasure to work with."

Foundation Senior Director of Development/Interim Director of Donor Service Kate McKenzie appreciates DeNardo’s longtime commitment to being a supporter and advocate of the Foundation.

"Doug is a wonderful partner,” McKenzie said. “He is always willing to lend his expertise and his time for our donors and staff, and we have learned so much from him and our relationship has helped us serve the community more effectively."

By utilizing the Foundation's data and expertise, DeNardo helps clients push funds toward impactful organizations, secure in the knowledge that their generosity will continue to strengthen the community for generations to come. Through this partnership, DeNardo and The Pittsburgh Foundation are helping clients build a more vibrant, equitable future for the entire region.

Photos from the 2025 Partner in Philanthropy award celebration can be viewed here.