Saturday, August 30, 2008
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 |  Leading the way with the largest individual gift to The Next Standard Tad Piper doesn't hesitate a moment when asked why he and wife Cindy are such ardent supporters of Minnesota Public Radio. "It adds tremendously to the richness of our lives," he says. "We're long-time listeners and fans of both the news and classical stations. In fact, we've been listeners almost from the beginning. We're great believers in the mission of MPR, to enrich the mind and nourish the spirit." Piper, who served for two terms as Chairman of the Board, was asked in 2002 to serve as Chair of the capital campaign. "I enthusiastically agreed," he says. "I'm a big believer of what Minnesota Public Radio does for our community. You don't realize how lucky we are until you go to other places, where the best programs you hear on public radio are the programs made here. We're blessed to have such a progressive public radio system in Minnesota." "Minnesota Public Radio is valuable both on a personal level and to the community at large." Piper's position as campaign Chair prompted he and Cindy to make the largest contribution they've ever made to any organization—an undesignated gift of $1 million. It's a gift that's especially meaningful in light of the other organizations the couple supports, including Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation and the University of Minnesota. "It was definitely a significant decision," Piper says, laughing. "But we thought that if we were going to ask others to make a meaningful commitment, we needed to do the same ourselves. Also this: we tend to direct our time and resources around the things we're passionate about. We feel strongly that MPR is important both on a personal level and to the community at large." One of Piper's major roles as Chair of The Next Standard is sharing his passion about what's happening at MPR and trying to get others to share their passion in a similar way. "We're a membership organization," says Piper. "We invite people on air to become members, but typically those gifts aren't large. While there are definitely individuals who give more than $1,000 a year, you can't raise $51.5 million that way. One of the fantastic things about MPR is that it's free: you just turn on the radio. Only active support can further the quality of programming we provide." "The ability to produce an even finer product is truly exciting." There's no doubt in Piper's mind about the need for a new facility. "It was built 25 years ago, and people are jammed into every nook and cranny in three locations in downtown St. Paul," he comments. "For an organization that thrives on communication and creativity, that's just plain difficult. We definitely need a capital campaign and we don't run one very often. The ability to produce an even finer product by having the organization work that much better is truly exciting for Cindy and me." Tad Piper is Vice Chairman and former Chairman and Chief Executive of Piper Jaffray. He is also a regent of St. Olaf College and a Trustee of Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation. Cindy is a former president of the United States Pony Club and a former leader in the effort to fund the Equine Center at the University of Minnesota. Both are involved at St. Martin's Church. They have five children and five grandchildren. | |
Meet a few of our contributors:  Tad and Cindy Piper Karin Larson Jerry Christenson Charlotte Dobosenski Jorga Fleezanis and Michael Steinberg Toni and Fred Green Fran and Joe Leek Pam Moret Glen Nelson Amaria Najem and Kelsey O'Leary Tricia Sargent
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