Shirley Craft specializes in Project Management, Organizational Development, and Special Events. She is currently the Project Manager for a $2.7 million dollar project to build a new 22,000 square foot refuge for homeless women. The project is under the umbrella of Faith Mission of Wichita Falls, the local homeless shelter established in 1958. She manages a fifty person task force of community leaders, volunteers and Faith Mission board members to develop all of the aspects of the project including: development of organization, fundraising, public relations and all needed printed materials.

She has also been hired to develop the Community Partnership Program with Dillard School of Business of Midwestern State University. The Program will partner MSU Business majors with community businesses to elevate their education and embed them for a semester with the partnering businesses. The program also has the element of volunteering with a non-profit in the community and experiencing cultural events as part of their curriculum.

Shirley has also helped elected officials with campaigns, special events and fundraising. Past clients have included a U.S. Congressman and a Texas Appellate Court Judge.

Shirley’s vast experience in planning and executing special events spans almost 30 years. While employed by Electronic Data Systems (EDS) from 1977-1986, she was responsible for all special events and conferences for the State & Local Government Division as Administrative Manager. The yearly and sometimes twice yearly conferences included over 100 employee participants from all over the country, meeting for 3 days. All aspects of the event, airfare, hotels, meals, special dinners, awards and presentations were coordinated.

After leaving the corporate world, Shirley continued to do special events as an entrepreneur and mostly as a volunteer. While owning The Event Service, Shirley was hired by both corporations and non-profits to plan, coordinate and execute special events. Cryovac Corporation hired her to create the first ever Recognition for Employees dinner. The successful event continues to this day using this model. Wichita County Heritage Society contracted with her for their first ever two-day event downtown Wichita Falls, managing a 30-person committee. She was hired the next year as well for the event.

She was the fundraising chair for First Step, Inc. of Wichita Falls and created two special events. One fundraiser lasted eight years.

While living in Annapolis, Maryland she created and executed a large grand opening for Condor Technologies, Inc. Shirley approached the Executive Director of the YWCA of Annapolis, as a volunteer, to encourage them to expand their events for their Domestic Violence programs. She co-chaired, for two years, the first ever-large fundraiser for this organization. The event goes on today, after 10 years and has raised $500,000. Shirley continues to be involved with fighting domestic violence to this date.

While running for public office, she created and coordinated six special fundraising events and raised over $300,000 for two campaigns for the Texas House of Representatives. She directed her staff in all aspects of the campaign including: fundraising, public relations and media.

Shirley’s most recent special event was to benefit the Humane Society of Wichita County. As a board member she has co-chaired “Paws “, for three years in a row and is responsible for initiating the first ever large fundraiser for this organization. The events have raised over $150,000.

Shirley’s creativity, management of details and recruiting of committees are just a few of the reasons her special events have been so successful.