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Classy Announces New SVP of Product Management & Design Who Will Lead New Product Investments

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Learn how top nonprofits use Classy to power their fundraising.

Classy’s purpose to mobilize and empower the world for good flows from the expertise of our technologists right through to the tools we provide our nonprofit customers. Today, we continue on that path by welcoming Eric Pannese as our new Senior Vice President of Product Management & Design.

Eric joins the Classy team from Medallia, a Saas-based customer experience management platform. He brings over 20 years of technology experience,13 years of which were with SaaS products across various verticals, from finance and retail to hospitality.

His deep focus on customer experience will mesh seamlessly with Classy’s commitment to a customer-first mentality. He will lead our new product development, keeping the nonprofit top-of-mind. This will ensure that Classy continuously delivers cutting-edge technology that meets our customers’ needs to drive more funding and, ultimately, more impact.

Meet Eric Pannese

Nonprofit Started, Nonprofit Focused, Always

Driving action for the greater good is not just the outcome of our products but the core of who we are at Classy.

Like much of our staff, Eric is no stranger to the social sector. He served on the board of Meals on Wheels San Diego County and Rancho Penasquitos Little League, giving him a proper understanding of what fundraising professionals need to succeed.

“I am thrilled to be a part of Classy, furthering our commitment to customer-forward product development. User experience is sometimes overlooked when making decisions on a tight non-profit budget. Still, it is key to attracting and retaining the donors that will help our customers better meet the needs of the communities that they are serving.
-Eric Pannese

The Future of Classy’s Giving Experience Platform

Our mission is impossible without a substantial investment in technology. From experience on the front end of our platform to our powerful integrations, Eric will lead our product management and design teams to expand our offerings to the nonprofit sector thoughtfully.

Get a Sneak Peek of What’s Ahead:

Expanded Payment Options

Venmo and Paypal will be integrated with Classy Pay this fall, making Classy one of the first platforms for offering both payment options.

Embedded Checkout

Nonprofits will now have the option to embed a checkout form directly on their website, streamlining a supporter’s checkout journey while donating online and increasing conversion.

Recurring Giving

We will continue to invest in innovation in recurring giving so donors can engender long-term loyalty and ongoing support for causes they care about. This includes launching new recurring frequencies that include bi-weekly, weekly, and daily recurring frequency options in addition to the existing annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and monthly recurring frequency options.

Large-Scale Events

For nonprofits whose revenue relies heavily on events, Classy is investing in a more robust virtual events platform, including hybrid event capabilities. This will also include the launch of Campaign Templating, which allows an organization to create a foundation for all associated campaigns so you don’t have to start from scratch. This is especially helpful for nonprofits whose chapters run affiliate events, virtually, in-person, or both, across the country. Other enterprise events features will include tools for managing transaction and participant engagement on the day of an event, communication tools, and other features that enhance the supporter experience.

Keep Up With the Data and Trends Informing Fundraising Today

Alongside our technology innovation, we’re on the pulse of fundraising data that will shape giving experiences that move the needle for our current and future nonprofit customers.

Download Classy’s 2021 State of Modern Philanthropy Report based on benchmarks from 4,800 nonprofit organizations.
From there, see what’s on the minds of today’s recurring donors in our 2021 Recurring Donor Sentiment Report.
Measure your current fundraising metrics against our data and get guided results in our Fundraising Benchmark Assessment.

Unlocking Generosity Through Classy

From our B Corp and Series D Funding announcements to welcoming a new Chief Executive Officer and influential board members this year, we’re continuously doubling down on our commitment to our product. If you’re interested in joining our interdisciplinary team of technologists to build the best fundraising technology available, please view and share our open roles here.