As president and board chair of the Starkey Hearing Foundation for more than a decade, Richard has led global mission trips, launched creative fundraising collaborations, and influenced decision-makers around the world to drive the foundation’s mission to give the gift of hearing to those in need, empowering them to achieve their potential.
Richard, as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Minneapolis-based JNBA Financial Advisors, oversees the strategic direction of the company that has grown to $1.5 billion in client assets under management. He also leads the firm’s specialty group, Family Office Services, and is the key decision-maker in how the family office operates. Richard is a leader who advocates for his team and inspires others to collaborate and share their expertise as they develop solutions for those served and all stakeholders.
He is chair of the Essentia Health Foundation Board and previously served as a board member of Special Olympics Minnesota for six years. He also serves on the Leadership Council of Home Base, a national nonprofit dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of war, and founded the Richard S. Brown Foundation, which allows him to spread his philanthropic vision directly.
Prior to joining JNBA in 1996, Richard was the executive domestic and international contract negotiator for Irwin Jacobs Companies. His international experience also includes working for Ladbroke Racing in the United Kingdom.
Richard attended the University of Minnesota Duluth. He also completed a specialty education by participating in the Program on Negotiation with the inter-university consortium of Harvard, MIT, and Tufts.
Richard serves on several other national and local boards, including the Chancellor’s Advisory Board at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), the Dean’s Business Advisory Council at UMD’s Labovitz School of Business and Economics, and the NIFAP Study Group. He is also one of two senior teaching fellows emeritus at UMD’s Labovitz School, and he previously served on the TD Ameritrade President’s Council.
As a former firefighter, Richard is proud to be the first member of the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE) Advisory Board to help connect the nonprofit with healthcare organizations to support and protect the health of fire service professionals.
