A Personal Investment

Dave Brown takes the personal approach when supporting Embry-Riddle

When Dave Brown (’89, WW), a corporate pilot for Procter & Gamble (P&G), talks about his 20-plus years of working with and supporting the students, alumni and staff of Embry-Riddle, one thing becomes abundantly clear: Spending his time and energy with Embry-Riddle feels like a family affair.

“My entire experience with Embry-Riddle is very personal,” Brown says.

The names of students, student-athletes, interns, coaches and staff roll easily off Brown’s tongue. Whether he’s talking about Coach Steve Ridder, former student-athletes or the many students and interns he’s mentored at P&G who have gone on to become pilots in P&G’s flight department, Dave Brown often sounds like a proud parent in an overachieving family.

And if the past 20 years are any indication, he’s got a lot to be proud of. During his two decades working with Embry-Riddle, he has launched a summer program to introduce students to the world of corporate aviation and helped establish an internship program to recruit, hire and mentor the “best of the best” pilots for P&G. He’s also volunteered and contributed to various fundraising projects for capital improvements, the athletics program and scholarships.

“I saw the difference that investing in a university can make,” Brown says. “And I see the way students at Embry-Riddle are committed to making a difference. They are incredible and are great ambassadors for the university.”

Joining the Team

While Brown can now look back on his 20 years of supporting Embry-Riddle and see all the good things that have resulted, none of it likely would have happened if he hadn’t met Athletic Director Steve Ridder, who was just getting started at Embry-Riddle back then.

“Basically, he recruited me,” Brown recalls. “Steve hooked me in, and through him I got to see the quality of the students. I was inspired and influenced not only to help grow the athletic program at the time, but also to be involved with the academic side.”

After meeting with Coach Ridder and hearing his vision for what was then a brand-new intercollegiate athletics program, Brown got involved in a number of ways. In addition to establishing a summer program to introduce students to corporate aviation at P&G, he also helped raise funds for capital improvements and the athletics program.

It was during that time of supporting athletics that Brown realized the difference that smaller gifts could make in the lives of students. When Coach Ridder had asked him to help organize a fundraising effort to equip the new basketball locker room, Brown was surprised at the level of support they received from athletics alumni.

“I think we raised $30,000, but the thing was, every bit of that money came from the former players. These are guys out there starting their careers and not making a lot of money, working entry-level jobs and starting new families. And 90 percent of the guys I knew gave back,” Brown recalls. “The thing I learned from that is that if you have enough people who have a connection, then they don’t have to have a lot of money individually to make a difference.”

Making a Difference

Inspired by his discovery, Brown continued to make a difference in many ways. He helped launch and manage an internship program at P&G, creating more opportunities for Embry-Riddle students. Today, six Embry-Riddle graduates work at P&G Global Flight Operations, two of whom were once interns in his program (with two other interns in the pipeline), and three others are completing their degrees with Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus.

The surprising quality of those students assured Brown he was on the right track. “The students we’ve had in the program have such a high level of knowledge and experience that they can participate in what we are doing at P&G with clear understanding. Their abilities, performance, passion and professionalism have lead to the continued success and continuation of our programs with Embry-Riddle,” Brown says.

Seeing that level of commitment and expertise inspired Brown to contribute more to scholarships. “As my relationship with Embry-Riddle has grown, I’ve become more focused on scholarships,” he says. “There are so many students who need help, and it’s great to be able to contribute to a scholarship and say, ‘Hey, I love the idea of what that scholarship is all about and the students who receive it.’ When you support a scholarship, you are making a difference in the lives of those who represent what the university is all about.”

All in the Family

Aside from the many typical benefits that Brown enjoys from supporting Embry-Riddle—enhancing the value of his degree while employing fellow alumni and supporting what is now an incredibly successful athletics program—Brown enjoys an even more personal benefit that stems from his relationship with Steve Ridder.

Brown credits Steve and his wife, Vicky, for helping him take on the challenge of adopting and raising his two sons, Chris and Rashad, both of whom Brown adopted when they were 13. Now, Chris is 29 and Rashad is 22.

“As a single parent, when I was trying to figure out how to deal with things, both Steve and his wife were a key part of the success of me adopting those two boys,” says Brown. “I can say without exaggeration that Coach Ridder is the reason that I am still involved with Embry-Riddle, doing what I’m doing.”

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