In early 2023, the Mudd Nick Foundation board of directors unanimously voted to add Dick Brimmer to the board.
Dick Brimmer was born in Yakima, WA and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Washington State University. Recruited by Meier & Frank, he moved to Portland during the summer of 1974, and spent nine years in Retail with Meier & Frank, followed by a few years in which he managed the downtown Learner Shop on 6th & Alder. Dick started his first outside sales job with a small distributor of men’s accessories and then was hired by John Harland Company in 1983 to open the Oregon Sales Territory. Within nine years, he grew the business to over $6.5 million in checks and bank forms. In 1989, Dick joined a regional commercial printing company and discovered he was more successful selling multiple products and services to larger companies. In 1991, he joined a print distributor and sold his first contract to Daimler Trucks North America in 2020, after which he never looked back. Starting with printed forms, then with the desktop computer in the mid-2000s, Dick reinvented himself selling products and services that were focused on improving productivity.
In 1998, Dick decided to give back to his community and joined the Board of Directors of Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA), a not-for-profit organization that markets Washington County nationally to the tourism industry as a destination for events and to bring tours and meetings to Washington County. WCVA helps market the occupancy of hotel rooms, restaurants, wineries, and other activities. As the Director, Dick was tasked with determining how to secure future financing and helped developed a plan to show Washington County Commissioners the sales revenue WCVA brought to Washington County each year. Under his leadership, WCVA has retained its full financing as set forth by Washington County Commissioners.
In 1999, Dick was asked to be on the Member Board for the Rock Creek Country Club. During the next five years, he served as Committee Chairman for Handicap, Membership, Tournament and finally President and Past President of the Member Board. The Board implemented several policies that benefitted all members, including dress code, member behavior and consequences, and selection of Course Pros and Assistant Pros.
Dick’s first exposure to the Mudd Nick Foundation (MNF) was as a participant in the Annual Golf Event in the early 2000s. He was instantly intrigued by how much the MNF did for the community and, by 2006, he became actively involved as a significant donor.
In 2019, Dick saw the pandemic starting to erode much of the business he had built and so, he reinvented himself yet again by providing services to large companies and did not rely on manufacturing and distribution. He now focuses on helping clients to implement digital marketing and communication tools to continue improving their production and ability to service their customers. In April 2022, Dick sold his book of business to a coworker and the transition is nearing completion. He now has time to focus and give the MNF the attention it deserves. He hopes he can apply his previous board and business experience to benefit the MNF.
