With over 32 years experience public relations, marketing and business management and 25 years experience in the field of sports philanthropy, Terri Hickman Grunduski co-founded the Grunduski Group to fill a need in the sports and philanthropy worlds, to help support and guide those interested in building their legacies through Family Foundations, and other philanthropic endeavors.
Prior to co-founding the company, Terri Hickman Grunduski was the Executive Director of the Dempster Family Foundation. Brought on as the Inaugural Executive Director in 2009, Terri created the Foundation, which, in less than three short years under the inspiration of the Dempster Family, raised over a million dollars and awarded over $430,000 to charitable organizations across the United States, and over $26,000 to charitable organizations in Canada and abroad, through the Dempster Foundation Canada.
Terri began her Family Foundation work as the Executive Director and creator of the Jim Mora Count On Me Family Foundation in 2006. In partnership with Jim and Shannon Mora, she helped establish the Foundation, which, raised over 1.2 million dollars in her five years of work there and granted over $500,000 to charitable organizations in Georgia and Washington.
It was a natural progression into Foundation work for Terri, whose passion of pairing professional athletes with local charities started years ago in hockey. Terri worked with the Atlanta Thrashers Professional Hockey Club as the inaugural Manager of Community Relations and Director of the Atlanta Thrashers Foundation. She built the community relations department and charted the team’s community vision.
When the Atlanta Falcons professional football team was getting ready to expand their philanthropic efforts through Arthur Blank’s purchase of the team, the Falcons hired Terri to manage Community Relations for the team. She was the Manager of Community Relations for the Atlanta Falcons from 2003 – 2005 where she directed community outreach and oversaw the creation of programs that supported the Falcons’ commitment to help Georgia children become physically fit and active. Terri was the co-creator of the club’s community fitness program, the Falcons’ Fitness Challenge. She oversaw relationships with children’s charities and 501(c)3 organizations including the handling of all player and mascot appearances, requests for involvement in charitable community events, and coordinated the Atlanta Falcons’ Women’s Association (wives’ group).
Most recently, Terri was named Executive Director of the SagerStrong Foundation, the charitable organization created in honor of Hall of Fame Sportscaster Craig Sager, who lost his battle with blood cancer in 2016. As the Executive Director, Terri worked directly with the President Stacy Sager and team to create the SagerStrong Foundation Stadium Fun Run at the Braves’ Truist Park, and the Hometown Hero Award, as well as established the Board of Directors for the Foundation.
Terri and the Grunduski Group team was blessed to work with Buddy Curry and the Kids & Pros Organization to help market Kids and Pros’ Youth Football Camps, as well as to plan the Locker Room Chat event for 5 years (2013-2018.) Grunduski Group also had the privilege to work on marketing, social media and public relations outreach for the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, and the International 22q Foundation.
Terri started her career at Turner Broadcasting in 1992 as an intern at Turner Sports and then, for seven years, as a public relations professional for Turner Learning, the educational division of Turner Broadcasting. She has received many honors including a regional Emmy for her contributions to the Turner Broadcasting production Rockets on Wheels and Calculation on a Curve Ball; Beacon Awards from the Cable Television Public Affairs Association for work on CNN NEWSROOM on the Road and CNN Student Bureau; and a regional Emmy nomination for a PSA produced for Special Olympics.
Terri’s personal community outreach included serving on the Board of Directors of the American Association of AdaptedSports™ Programs (2003-2013) as well as the American Heart Association Southeast Region (1999-2006). She was a member of the Atlanta Sports Council, GAHPERD, and the Georgia High School Coaches Association, as head of the Central Gwinnett High School Dance Team (1997-2007). She was the Vice President of Community Programs, Starling Elementary School PTA, Couch Middle School PTSA, and a Board Member of the Grayson Cluster Foundation, Grayson, GA , and was the Grayson Chair of the Metro Atlanta Boy Scouts Fundraising Campaign Jan – April 2014. Terri married Robert Grunduski in 2004, and has two children.
Terri holds a B.A. in Communications from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.
Community Involvement:
- Former Board member and Past Vice President of the Board for the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs/(AAASP)
- Volunteer with various non-profit organizations including, Boy Scouts of America, Starling Elementary PTA, Couch Middle School PTSA, and Grayson Athletic Association.
- Secretary, Board of Directors, Grayson Cluster Schools Foundation (2017-2019)
- Georgia Production Partnership -Sub Committee Co-Chair, GPP Regional Meetings (2018-2019)
- GEPRA -Founding Member (2017-2019)
- PRSA Member, Georgia Chapter (2016-2019)
- Past Participant in Sports Philanthropy Project
- Atlanta Sports Council member 1999-2004 through Atlanta Thrashers
- American Heart Association Southeast Region Board of Directors (1999-2006)
- GAHPERD member
- Volunteer at Starling Elementary, Couch PTSA, and past PTA Room Moms (2012-present), PTA Vice President 2014-2015 and 2017-2018.
- Volunteer Dance Coach, Richards Middle School Dance Team (2012-2013) /Former Dance Coach of the Central Gwinnett High School Dance Team (1997-2007)