Generosity, Listening, and Civic Leadership—Keystones for Mary and Dick Brainerd

Aug 24, 2026

Mary and Dick Brainerd live lives of generosity, filled with a love of listening and a belief in civic leadership.

Dick grew up in Fennimore, WI, where his mother’s family ran the local newspaper. He helped his uncles by writing some articles for the Fennimore Times. He recalls, “There was a big mound in Grant County, and it had a radio tower on top. I remember listening to music with my grandmother.” Mary grew up in St. Paul and recalls listening to KDWB and WDGY, the stations where teenagers heard their music. “I started listening to hear great music.”

Mary attended Visitation, a Catholic girls’ school, and then became “the happiest University of Minnesota student there ever was. My undergraduate degree was in philosophy. I am a big believer in the liberal arts.” She went on to earn a business degree from St. Thomas. “Having both has helped me professionally in ways I didn’t anticipate.”

They met through Mary’s work. Dick had come to Minnesota to work for Governor Al Quie. “He hired me to help develop their human resources program for the state. They’d moved from a civil service operation to a human resources department. I’d worked for the Wisconsin Attorney General in their central administration and for the State of Wisconsin central human resources department and brought those experiences to the task.” At the time, Mary worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield, the healthcare company used by the state of Minnesota.

It was through Mary’s work as CEO of HealthPartners that she got involved with MPR.

“We realized there were not enough healthcare resources or supports for people who experience mental illness. We also knew stigma was a huge issue. So, we partnered with MPR to do programming around mental health awareness and education, and anti-stigma work. I learned how effectively MPR can engage communities.”

A second project with MPR deepened their commitment. HeathPartners is interested in early brain development as a pathway to a healthy life. Mary reports, “MPR was a great partner working to create community, bringing many voices to bear on the issue, sharing many perspectives. They are everything one can hope a community-based organization can be.”

As Dick says, “I don't always agree with what MPR says, and I'm sure they would not always agree with me. MPR puts a great deal of care into being effective and responsible, and I value that a lot. We both feel strongly about the importance of responsible media and journalism. We see the conscientiousness with which MPR always approaches its work.”

Mary serves as an MPR board member. Together, they made a significant donation to support the long-term future of MPR. Dick, who currently serves as Mayor of Mahtomedi, shared, “I belong to the Minnesota Mayors Association, which includes hundreds of small communities across Minnesota. Many of these cities have seen their local newspapers disappear. This has created a huge void in how they communicate with their constituents. MPR is regional and tied to NPR nationally and to the BBC internationally. MPR makes it possible for all of us to stay informed and connected.”

Mary continued, “Our institutions need to earn the trust of the people they serve. I would put MPR right up there as an organization that earns our trust.”

Thinking about the past year with no federal support and the stress during the metro surge, Mary adds, “I am surprised to say this, but having public media that's not government-funded means the public part is the value. MPR is doing an incredible job of changing itself. And that's hard. Its roots as a radio station go back a long way. They understand change: the environment, the products, how people listen. Not only does technology change, but with that come changes that people go through. MPR has done a very courageous job, not waiting to change because things are dire. MPR anticipates the changes that are needed to be here for our communities in an even better way.”

She continued, “I want people to appreciate the courage it takes to share the stories of what’s happening. MPR and APMG take the time to find local voices, whether that's rural Minnesota or it's Native nations, to bring perspectives at a much deeper level. Dick and I have focused some of our giving on investigative reporting. MPR is committed to that investigative work that takes time and resources.”

Dick and Mary call MPR an essential part of their everyday living.

“When Mary and I go to our place on the North Shore, it’s a three-and-a-half-hour drive. I don't think there's a time that goes by that we don't turn on the radio and listen.”