USD Foundation president to retire

After serving almost 10 years as President and CEO of the USD Foundation, Steve Brown will be retiring from his position.

Brown was responsible for a number of USD’s fundraising campaigns, including “Onward: The Campaign for South Dakota,” a seven-year program which raised $272.4 million, according to the USD Alumni & Friends website. 

During his tenure, Brown increased the foundation’s endowment to $330 million, which he said was valued at slightly under $150 million when he began his job.

Brown, who started in January of 2012, was working on a campaign at Indiana State University when he was contacted by WittKeiffer, the firm USD used in search of candidates for president of the foundation. Initially, he wasn’t interested, though he said he was intrigued when the university sent more information.

“I… had a chance to visit with the search committee of foundation board members and President Abbott and visited Vermillion and thought, ‘I want this job, I hope they offer it,’ and fortunately a few weeks after that, I had that chance to accept the position,” Brown said.

As president and CEO of the foundation, Brown would visit with donors from all over the country who wanted to give back to USD, assisting them in deciding how they wanted their donations used.

“A lot of people misunderstand aspects of our work. I think they think that we go around and ask people for money, and there is an aspect of that, but it’s really, at a high and significant level, development of relationships,” Brown said. “Our job, in many respects, is (being) that conduit between campus and our alumni and friends.”

A large part of Brown’s job involved traveling to meet potential donors, often in their homes, which he said meant shunning the coat and tie of the corporate world in favor of something more casual.

“What you wouldn’t want to do is go out to West River and… visit somebody, on their ranch and show up in a three piece suit,” Brown said. “You want to actually be able to connect with those individuals, so I’d probably be more dressed casually… in coyote gear, or something representing the university.”

Along with “Onward: The Campaign for South Dakota,” Brown said, one of the campaigns he’s most proud of is the Women in Philanthropy program, which puts an emphasis on getting women engaged as a community to rally behind campus programs.

Brown said he hadn’t originally planned to retire until he was 70, but over the summer decided to step down early after consulting with his wife, colleagues, friends and mentors.

“It’s been a wonderful 10 years. It’s been a joy every day to do, and now it’s time to maybe step aside so someone else can move in,” Brown said.

Brown said he loves the Vermillion community and looks forward to staying here with his wife and daughter after he retires.

Currently, USD is conducting a national search for Brown’s successor. No potential candidates have been announced at this time. 

Brown’s work isn’t done, however. The USD foundation is preparing for its next fundraising campaign, though Brown said even though dollars are the result of the work, working at the foundation isn’t all about the money.

“It’s about the people you meet and the relationships that you’ve developed, and understanding when you sit down with people, what are their values, how did the institution impact them,” Brown said. “It’s fascinating to find out all those things about individuals’ lives. I’ll miss that.”