Helen Brown and Melissa Bank Stepno
Melissa Bank Stepno and I are very excited to announce that as of today, Melissa is the new owner, president, and CEO of The Helen Brown Group.
(See, I told you it was exciting!) The press release is here: Read the press release
Who knew when I joked to Rick Snyder at his interview nearly 19 years ago that “we could maybe even have 20 employees someday!” (or was it 50? our memories differ) – anyway, who thought then that we would actually be a group of thirty now? A prospect research company with that many consultants? That was a crazy dream back then.
But here we are! Melissa and I have been talking and dreaming about this day for a year now, ever since she joined HBG as Vice President of Data Insight and Business Development as well as Managing Director of DAFinitive®. Melissa’s commitment to our sector as past board member of Apra and NEDRA and as a longtime trainer, mentor, and speaker in our profession mirrors my own path, and I know that she will expertly manage the helm to navigate HBG forward with the same dedication that I have had, and with her unique skills and innovation.
Over the past nineteen years, I’ve been lucky to work with the smartest, most generously helpful, wittiest, and kindest colleagues anyone could ever have. Together we have advocated for and helped raise the profile (ahem) of what was previously a back-office job into a front-facing, strategy-enhancing, goal-changing profession. The cherry on the sundae is getting to collaborate with brilliant and dedicated fundraisers at some of the most inspiring nonprofits in the world.
And I’m still going to get to work with them! Although Melissa is the new owner, I’ll still be here at HBG over the next year as Founder to ensure a smooth transition, engage with clients, and continue to build on the success of HBG and DAFinitive®.
It’s full steam ahead, with new leadership building on nineteen years of success. Same great name, same fantastic team, with new opportunities and initiatives to help nonprofits – and our profession – do greater things.
