David Blyer is Co-Founder, CEO, and President of Arreva, a trusted advisor and market leader of virtual fundraising, donor relationship management, and auction software, that has been serving the nonprofit industry for more than three decades. David holds an MBA in Finance from Nova Southeastern University and a BA in Business Management from the University of South Florida.
Fun fact: I have a lifelong, immense passion for hockey and at 60 years I’m still playing with “kids” half my age on a men’s league. I’m actually just very glad they allow me to be on the roster at my age.
What is your favorite South Florida dining destination? My absolute favorite South Florida dining destination is Ovlo Eats in Plantation. Ovlo is an amazing healthy food restaurant for casual dining that I highly recommend. Everything is made from scratch, right in their own kitchen.
What do you like to do on weekends? I enjoy spending time with my family, mountain and rode biking, and playing ice hockey.
How do you unwind from a long day at work? I enjoy having dinner with my wife and catching up for the day.
What is your favorite quote? I actually have two favorite quotes, both from Brian Tracy: “Develop an attitude of gratitude. Say Thank you to everyone you meet for everything they do for you.” And, “There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking.”
From whom, or what, do you draw inspiration? I draw my inspiration from all of the positive energy I receive from my family, my friends, and co-workers, and the nonprofit organizations that I speak to each and every day that we serve. I am so inspired by the way they all maintain a positive attitude, and selflessly help each other, especially in these challenging times.
What has been the biggest accomplishment of your career? The biggest accomplishment of my career is the formation and success of Arreva.
I co-founded Arreva in 2017, with philanthropist and computer scientist, Susan Packard Orr, by merging DonorCommunity, which I founded in 1999, as the first All-in-One Fundraising Software for the nonprofit industry, with Telosa Software, provider of purpose-built donor relationship management software (including their flagship product, Exceed Beyond), which Susan founded in 1986,
Arreva introduced the evolutionary ExceedFurther, an All-in-One, Fundraising and Donor Relationship Management Software. In 2019, I acquired Heritage Design, adding thought leadership, a strong client base, and an office in Phoenix, AZ.
And in 2020, I acquired MaestroSoft, a leader in virtual, online and live auction software, Text2Bid® virtual and mobile bidding software, Text2Fund® text-based donation software, as well as virtual/live auctioneering services, even further expanding Arreva’s essential, comprehensive, and robust suite of virtual capabilities for nonprofit organizations, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic
I’m extremely proud of all we’ve accomplished and could not be more grateful for my amazing team, who have served the nonprofit industry with enthusiasm for more than three decades.
What has been the most challenging moment in your career and how did you overcome it? When I was 26 years old, and in my third year of my first job in technology, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. My employer kept my job on hold, while I focused on successfully eliminating cancer.
That experience of surviving cancer at a young age really ignited a desire in me to make an impact and give back in a meaningful way at some point during my life. In 2009, I found myself in a position, after selling a couple of companies, to focus on my next venture and make good on that goal.
Because I love technology and I have great admiration for what nonprofit organizations do, I took the path of starting a software company that helps nonprofit organizations create awareness and fundraise through an all-in-one software solution. The platform was designed especially for small and mid-size nonprofits, so they can leverage technology to help them further their causes.
What advice would you give an up and coming professional? To someone very early in their career, I would offer the following advice. Do an internship with a company and focus on an area within the company that interests you so that you and the company can learn from each other and you can determine learn early on in your life, and before you start your career, whether this is truly something you’d like to pursue. That way, you can either continue on that path and gain valuable experience, or you can pursue other internships and focus on other areas to gain additional experiences that can help you determine what you’d really like to do.
