By Brian Powell
Flinn Foundation
Drew Brown is a Phoenix civic leader whose role in professional and community organizations has made a significant and lasting impact on the city and state.
He retired from the Flinn Foundation’s Board of Directors this spring after 20-plus years.
Brown moved to Arizona nearly 50 years ago and has been a longtime advocate for the arts, health care, economic development, civic leadership and more. He was a partner and director at Fennemore Craig, a Phoenix law firm, before co-founding DMB, a development firm known for creating liveable master-planned communities including DC Ranch/Silverleaf in North Scottsdale. He is a graduate of the University of Dayton and Notre Dame Law School.
“I have been privileged to be on a board of convivial and thoughtful people who make really good choices about philanthropy and the important issues affecting the state. It’s been a point of significant pride to be associated with Flinn,” Brown said.
Q: What was your first reaction to being asked to serve on the Flinn Foundation Board of Directors?
A: Steve Wheeler (a retired board member) first exposed me to the Flinn Foundation board, and obviously, it was a great honor to be considered. Thanks to its exceptional staff, I’ve always thought of the Flinn Foundation, and I think many in the community do, as a sort of good housekeeping seal of approval when it comes to philanthropy and programs affecting Arizona.
Q: How did serving as chair of the Maricopa Regional Arts and Culture Task Force—a group of 30 Valley leaders that released a report in May 2004 that recommended ways to support the arts to improve economic competitiveness— influence your advocacy for the arts as a member of the Flinn board?
A: Arizona is substantially disadvantaged financially relative to states and cities with which we compete for high-paying jobs, business relocation, and retention of our best and brightest. Other states and cities have strategies similar to what was proposed to create a sustainable source of funding to be allocated among arts organizations.
Well-considered studies demonstrated our structural disadvantage. I hope Flinn might be part of a community effort to substantially update the studies. The data today would show the same challenges, and it would be a compelling message to offer to the community.
Q: What was your role in the establishment and development of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation?
A: Many of the board members were more active in bioscience and health-related issues or highly academic issues around the Flinn Scholars Program. I had a natural interest in the civic well-being of the state, so I was fortunate to spend a fair amount of time on the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.
The guardrails were clear: the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership had to be a nonpartisan educational resource. We at Flinn felt a special obligation to take civic-minded people and give as balanced an outlook as possible, hearing from all sides about important issues affecting the quality of life in Arizona. Originally the goal was for Fellows to run for public office, and it’s still an important goal, but Flinn is equally proud of the number of Fellows now serving on commissions and boards and other public policy efforts.
Q: What have you found most rewarding about your service to the community, whether with the Flinn Foundation or another organization?
A: Phoenix, unlike many other cities, tends to be a meritocracy. If you want to be involved and are willing to work and be effective in useful ways, you can be involved and make a difference.
It’s sad for me to talk about Flinn in the past. It’s been a tremendous honor to serve on the Flinn Board. I will miss the Board and staff interactions and the constant learning experience inherent with service on the Flinn Board. Flinn allowed me to enhance my work at HonorHealth (he’s a current board member of the Scottsdale-based health care system). We touched on so many issues in the same space, and I was able to learn from many interesting people.
Q: How do you plan to stay involved with the Flinn Foundation as an honorary board member?
A: I will stay on the board’s Investment Committee. I’ve enjoyed my past service there. It’s a big responsibility and I’m honored to stay involved.
About the Flinn Foundation
The Flinn Foundation is a Phoenix-based privately endowed, philanthropic grantmaking organization established in 1965 by Dr. Robert S. and Irene P. Flinn that awards grants and operates programs in four areas: the biosciences, the Flinn Scholarship, arts and culture, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership and its Flinn-Brown Fellowship. The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations.