Now that you have read about this year’s BCA 10 honorees, let’s take the time to meet the leaders. These business executives, representing a range of industries from hotels to healthcare to retail, are inspiring. Support them because they have allowed the arts to shine in their businesses and communities across the country.
For more infomation about the October 11th BCA 10 Gala visit www.americansforthearts.org/events/bca-10.
Since 2005, Americans for the Arts’ BCA 10 Awards has received nominations for over 400 businesses across the country that see the importance of cultivating the arts and culture sector for the betterment of their companies and the local community.
In the eyes of Badger Meter, a 2016 BCA 10: Best Business Partnering with the Arts in America honoree and leading global manufacturing and innovation company in the water utility metering market, innovation fostered through the arts was the key to their success.
This company gives credit to its achievements as an 100+ year old, multimillion dollar publicly-traded company to a culture of creativity and innovation.
Badger Meter sees the arts as crucial to employee recruitment and retention as well as cultivating talent locally and regionally. CEO Richard A. Meeusen’s speech at the October 5, 2016 BCA 10 gala at the Central Park Boathouse in New York City celebrated and acknowledged the arts as significant force in stimulating critical thinking and relevant work-place skills among staff.
This is why he advocates for STEAM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum that incorporates the arts):
“At Badger Meter, my best engineers are all musicians…My best sales people were on stage at one time. My best marketing people were involved in the visual arts. Those are skills you can’t just teach… somehow they were developed through their education.”
He also added that the arts are key to the future: “Twenty years from now I want my business to be successful, and I need the arts to continue to produce the highly creative individuals that we as a country have produced over the last 200 years. We need to make sure for the next 200 years, art programs are available to our youth.”
Badger Meter is certainly not alone in believing in the power of STEAM.
The chief information officer of Deloitte, one of the largest management consulting firms in America, recently argued in favor of STEAM in education. According to Larry Quinlan, "It's not enough to be technologically brilliant. We need senior people who understand business processes, too."
As the world becomes more technologically specialized, businesses seek hires that have excellent ‘people skills’ – individuals that know how to build consensus, manage relationships and read the room to manage teams through complex environments to creatively achieve organizational objectives.
The arts and social sciences are critical in fostering these abilities. That is why schools like Yale, Mount Holyoke, and Washington and Lee are using more of an integrated approach in teaching students about business, helping them learn soft skills that demonstrate how business is not isolated from the social underworkings of a community, but a part of a greater context.
The business world is seeking more well-rounded thinkers, doers, movers and shakers to meet their needs.
The market responses with pay demonstrates the value of being well-rounded in the workforce. According to Forbes, individuals with balanced strengths in both social and math skills actually command a salary premium, 10 percent more earnings than those who are strong in just one area or the other.
From the inception of Badger Meter over 100 years ago, all the way to the present day, the arts and creativity drive employee innovation, and innovation keeps businesses alive.
For more information on Badger Meter, the Milwaukee Wisconsin-based 2016 BCA 10: Best Business Partnering with the Arts in America honoree, please view its success story, “A Champion for Steam and Innovation,” on the pARTnership Movement Success Stories’ page.
In their acceptance speeches at the 2016 BCA 10 Awards, twelve industry leaders spoke about what being honored at the 2016 BCA 10 means to them and why they encourage and seek out opportunities to bring the arts into their worlds.
See the full event recap and view the BCA 10 program book to learn more about this year’s best businesses partnering with the arts. Know a company that partners with the arts? Nominations for the 2017 BCA 10 Awards are open through January 13, 2017.
1. Let’s Start Easy—With an Arts Business
[Describing a Mayor’s address to a group of teachers and students] And he told these kids, I think he managed to look every single one of them in the eye, he said, “You do what you wanna do, and you apply it the way you want to apply it, and take risks. Do art, do drama, do music, do what you’re doing here.” And it’s moments like that, seeing these kids and the teachers, that make me really appreciate the luck I have to be involved in a business that gets to provide, in a large measure, that creativity.
–Robert Buchsbaum, CEO at Blick Art Materials
Watch the full speech here.
Photo courtesy Blick Art Materials.
2. A Health Care Leader
When a chairman hires a Chief Mindfulness Officer and he allows his employees to meditate and to be mindful, he is art. When an IT executive plays a mean jazz saxophone, he too is art. When a community relations director forms a Latin band and sings in the nightclubs of NYC, he is art. And when a multicultural marketer shares marketing tips to a philanthropist—a corporate philanthropist at Aetna sharing marketing tips through The Grateful Dead—they too, are art. When a company has 16 different colors in its logo, that company is art. And we believe that everyone in this room is art. And when art and the folks in this room come together, we spark innovation; we inspire youth. We celebrate and heal communities. We stimulate economies. We sustain this great nation.
–Floyd Green, Vice President, Community Relations and Urban Marketing at Aetna, Inc.
Watch the full speech here.
Photo: Rana Faure
3. From the Utility Company
The focal point for Austin Energy is transformational power, which makes sense. As an electric utility, we deal with transformers and power each and every day, but there’s also a transformational power in art to bring people together: to create bridges of knowledge and understanding, to explore new ideas, to drive change.
–Allen Small, Distribution Director at Austin Energy
Photo courtesy Austin Energy
4. From the Water Meter Folks
At Badger Meter, my best engineers are all musicians. There’s some connection—I don’t know it because I’m a philistine—but there’s some connection between art, between music and engineering. I don’t understand it, but they know it and they’re all musicians. My best salespeople were on a stage at one time in their lives. My best marketing people were involved in the visual arts. And it’s those skills that you can’t just teach in a classroom. Somehow those were developed through their education.
–Richard Meeusen, Chairman, President, and CEO at Badger Meter
Watch the full speech here.
Photo: Rana Faure
5. From the Insurance People
In four months, I’ve met with every one of the 320 employees and the number one thing that they talk about is the arts, giving back, and community. … I think it’s the ability for all of us in our lives to be able to give back. To be able to do the things that are special and unique in our lives.
–Marc Schmittlein, President and CEO at CopperPoint Insurance Companies
Photo courtesy CopperPoint Insurance Companies
6. The Automotive Marketing Expert
I feel like we are receiving an Oscar for this [award] and it is really a true honor. These are the artists that have worked really hard to make all of these projects happen in Burlington, Vermont, and so more than anything I want to say ‘cheers’ to them and thank you to Americans for the Arts and BCA 10 for recognizing the rapport of business, art, and community coming together. So we have Scott, Mary, Michael, Kate. and Abby. These are the artists. Short and sweet.
–Jill Badolato, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Dealer.com
Photo: Rana Faure
7. From the Beer Brewers
I really have a great job because our slogan at Dogfish Head is “off-centered ales for off-center people.” We have about 300 co-workers, the majority of them in Delaware, and a small salesforce around the country. We have all kinds of folks that are artists themselves. We have a magician’s assistant, a death metal guitarist, jazz musicians, graphic artists, illustrators, all kinds of folks. And our philosophy is that it’s really necessary to give back to the community and that’s what Beer and Benevolence is all about. Be it the environment, be it the community in general—but the arts especially.
–Mark Carter, Beer & Benevolence Coordinator at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Photo courtesy Dogflish Head Craft Brewery
8. Lawyers, Too!
We basically said, “We work with the most creative, innovative, crazy people around the world, you know, creatives always are. And why don’t we do that in Oklahoma City as well, and bring everybody into our office, make that community, that place-making kind of place.” And what we have seen really is that the engagement of our employees, of our staff, of our directors, in the arts has increased 200-300%. But one of the most amazing things for us is the karma—whatever you want to call it—the karma, good will, love that we’ve seen through this community, of this web of people that we put together.
–Douglas Sorocco, Director at Dunlap Codding
Photo courtesy Dunlap Codding
9. The One Known for Making Almost Everything
I’ll never forget my first day when I made it to manager and got an office; you got to tour the corporate art grouping and actually go in and pick out your own art. And so what did you feel? You felt that sense of passion and to be able to go in and say I resonate with that picture, that’s gonna bring out the best of me. And what a privilege to be able to work with a company like that.
–Susan Podlogar, Global Vice President Human Resources at Johnson & Johnson
Photo courtesy Johnson & Johnson
10. A Change Management Consulting Firm
Service, volunteerism, and sponsorship are important to our management team, our consultants, and our identity as a company. Supporting the arts had proven to have both personal and professional benefits for our employees and provided us an interesting and refreshing connection within our community.
–Kat McDonald, Community Engagement Manager at M Powered Strategies
Photo: Rana Faure
11. Even a Wealth Management Business
I would also like to extend a special thank you to the Americans for the Arts organization. Like us, you recognize that the arts are a transformative vehicle in our society and that cultivating the arts is not only important, but necessary to a world that seems to be moving away from creativity.
–Dave Blowers, Executive Vice President at Northern Trust
Photo courtesy Northern Trust
12. Don’t Forget About P&G!
Procter & Gamble has a long history of supporting the arts and we are blessed to live in a community where the arts have provided such amazing experiences for our employees, for our families, for new talents to come into our region and really be transformed by the arts.
–Phil Duncan, Global Design Officer at Procter & Gamble
Photo courtesy Procter & Gamble
On October 5, 2016, Robert Buchsbaum, CEO of Blick Art Materials, the nation’s premier art supply source, accepted Americans for the Arts' 2016 BCA Leadership Award at the BCA 10 gala at the Central Park Boathouse in NYC.
During his speech, he recognized the arts for injecting courage, confidence, and creativity into leaders. He also acknowledged that leading an art supply company, he understands how imperative it is for the arts to survive and flourish, especially for youth.
Watch Robert Buchsbaum’s acceptance speech below, and learn about how you can nominate a business that partners with the arts for the 2017 BCA 10. If you are a business leader or community leader who wants to share or learn more about partnerships that benefit both the business and arts community, please contact us. We want to hear from you.
On October 5, 2016, Badger Meter, manufacturer of flow measurement and control technology products received a BCA 10 award. Badger Meter’s Chairman, President, and CEO, Richard Meeusen, accepted the award on the company’s behalf at the BCA 10 gala at the Central Park Boathouse in New York City.
During his exciting speech, he talked about how the arts and creativity have positively affected a majority of his staff, no matter what department they represent. He acknowledged the arts as a large part of the inspiration needed to run businesses successfully and stimulate critical thinking among his staff.
Nominations are now open for the 2017 BCA 10. If you are a business leader or community leader who wants to share or learn more about partnerships that benefit both the business and arts community, please contact us. We want to hear from you.
Watch Richard Meeusen’s speech:
photo: Rana Faure
Now that you have read about this year’s BCA 10 honorees, let’s take the time to meet their valiant leaders. These business executives, representing a range of industries from healthcare to energy to brewery, are visionary, expansive, and inspiring. We encourage you to tweet them, follow them, like them, and support them because they have allowed the arts to shine in their business spaces and communities across the country.
Austin Energy, Austin, TX
@austinenergy
“There is a transformational power in art. It has the power to create new experiences and to reveal commonalities between us all. Austin Energy views its support of the arts and its power in Austin as part of its ongoing role to better serve and sustain the community.” –Mark Dombroski, Interim General Manager
Badger Meter, Milwaukee, WI
@badger_meter
“We believe the arts improve our quality of life by offering important education opportunities for our children, boosting our economy and engaging diverse audiences in our local communities. We are honored to receive this national recognition for our role in supporting and promoting the arts,” –Richard A. Meeusen, Chairman, President and CEO
CopperPoint Insurance Companies, Phoenix, AZ
@copperpointmu
www.facebook.com/copperpointmutual
“CopperPoint Insurance Companies understands that a vibrant arts sector attracts and sustains businesses and workers, which promotes economic development and cultural enrichment. Support of cultural, arts and educational organizations creates a well-balanced life experience for our employees, our customers, and our businesses.”
–Marc Schmittlein, President & CEO
Dealer.com, Burlington, VT
@dealerdotcom
"Dealer.com is uniquely committed to a culture of creativity, community involvement, and sustainability – it's been part of our organizational DNA since day one. Our close connection to the arts in Burlington has had a tremendously positive impact on the community and our company. We are very proud of the work we do to bring the community together through the arts and arts education." –Wayne Pastore, Senior Vice President of Dealer.com
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
@dogfishbeer
www.facebook.com/dogfishheadbeer
“Art is an essential component to good living, and we’re proud to support the people who are making Delaware a better place to live and work.” –Sam Calagione, Founder and President
Dunlap Codding, Oklahoma City, OK
@dunlapcodding
www.facebook.com/dunlapcodding
"Arts and creativity organizations enrich us. By opening our doors to artists and creators, we gain immeasurable benefits. Together, we help foster a spirit of generosity, inclusiveness, and volunteerism throughout our communities. Our lives are richer for our connection to the arts and creativity organizations with which we are intertwined." –Douglas J. Sorocco, Director and Shareholder
Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ
@JNJcares
“At Johnson & Johnson, we believe that the arts play a critical role in creating healthy and vital communities. Our Corporate Art Program strives to foster a workplace that educates, engages and inspires. In our local community of New Brunswick, NJ, cultural programming has played a pivotal role in the city’s revitalization. We are honored to be recognized for this work.” –Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO
M Powered Strategies, Inc., Washington, DC
www.facebook.com/mpoweredstrategies
“Exposure to the performing arts is part of being a well-rounded member of society. At M Powered Strategies, we support accessibility programs at the Shakespeare Theatre Company for service members, the hearing impaired, and young professionals. Everyone can benefit from experiencing live the brilliance and relevance of Shakespeare.”
–J. Kendall Lott, President
Northern Trust, Chicago, IL
@NorthernTrust
“At Northern Trust, we share our clients’ passion for the arts – and the spirit of giving back that is so deeply engrained in the performing arts community.”
–David Blowers, President
Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH
@ProcterGamble
www.facebook.com/proctergamble
“Every day at P&G we strive to improve people’s lives with our brands and products, as well as improve the communities where we live and work. Supporting the arts produces ripple effects of benefits that help communities thrive and make them great places to live." –David Taylor, CEO
Hall of Fame:
Aetna, Hartford, CT
@aetna
“Aetna is committed to building healthy communities across the country, and to promoting a healthy lifestyle for everyone. The arts are an important part of enhancing the overall well-being of people and their communities, and we are honored to have the Business Committee for the Arts recognize Aetna’s leadership in this area.”
–Mark T. Bertolini, Chairman and CEO
Leadership:
Robert Buchsbaum, Blick Art Materials
@blick_art
@blickartmaterials
www.facebook.com/blickartmaterials
“I am honored to be named BCA’s 2016 Leadership Award honoree, in recognition of Blick’s long history of advocating for and supporting the arts. We look forward to continuing our support of the Arts Action Fund in creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate the arts.”
For more infomation about the October 5th BCA 10 Gala, tickets, and sponsor opportunities visit www.americansforthearts.org/events/bca-10.
On October 6, 2015, Jorge Pérez, founder, Chairman, and CEO of The Related Group, a leading development company in South Florida, accepted Americans for the Arts' 2015 BCA Leadership Award at the BCA 10 gala at the Central Park Boathouse in NYC.
During his inspring speech, he claimed that the arts can change kids’ lives, revitalize neighborhoods, and provide every one of us with deeper ways to experience the world.
Are you a business leader engaging with the arts or interested in learning more about how the arts can help your business? We want to hear from you!
Watch Jorge Pérez's acceptance speech below, and check out a video of his interview with Bloomberg about his art collections in his home and work.
Transcript: Thank you very much for those generous words. First I want to congratulate all of the extraordinary businesses being recognized tonight. It is truly an honor to be here among the best companies in America for support of the arts. I believe that the arts change lives. I am certain of this because of my own life. Each day is more wondrous and rewarding because I experience it through the arts. I am able to experience the world through the eyes of a sculptor, the images of a painter, the words of a playwright and the rhythm of musicians. This is why I support the arts. So that generations of Americans can have these same advantages. If you’re lucky, you can leave some kind of legacy during your time on this planet. I am very proud of the buildings my company has built and the museum that bears my name, but I say with all humility that I hope that my legacy is more than this. My aspiration is to create traditions that introduce people to living with the arts and that open new ways for children and adults to achieve… to dream about their destiny. At the risk of sounding mystical, there’s an energy within each one of us that if found and cultivated, helps us to achieve great things. Some people understand this through spirituality, and others by discovering the power of love and relationships with their family and friends. Artists tap into the power of creativity, and if we are open to it, this force of the imagination can be contagious. It can change kids’ lives. It can revitalize neighborhoods, it can provide every one of us with deeper ways to experience the world. That is why I support the arts and why we as business leaders, parents, and citizens must continue to advocate for the arts. For better lives, for more vibrant communities, for a stronger nation, and for a more compassionate world. And that is why I am so proud to be here with all of you, and especially with my family and friends, to be recognized for doing something that is undeniably the right thing to do. Americans for the Arts and the Business Committee for the Arts, I thank you so much for this wonderful honor.
On October 6, 2015, U.S. Bank's CEO Richard Davis accepted the BCA 10 award on the company's behalf at the BCA 10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America gala at the Central Park Boathouse in NYC.
During his inspring speech, he claimed that creativity is the most crucial trait for tomorrow's business leaders, that the arts help businesses tell their story, and that business leaders must come together to recognize the improtance of supporting the arts. Learn more about the BCA 10 and the nominations process.
Are you a business leader engaging with the arts or interested in learning more about how the arts can help your business? We want to hear from you!
Watch Richard Davis's acceptance speech:
Transcript: Thank you Julie and congratulations to everyone here tonight. So here’s the deal, we are very stoked to have this award because it’s a very special recognition of something we don’t talk enough about in America, which is the fine arts.
So tonight we’re really celebrating goosebumps. Right? Goosebumps. Think about it. The downbeat of the conductor’s baton and the beginning of the timpani roll at the orchestra. That perfect pirouette at the ballet, where you can’t believe that he or she could do it so perfectly. That amazing moment when in the confines of a beautiful building some reveals a piece of art… that breathtaking moment. And think about all these wonderful points in time that are brought to us by the fine arts. You know we celebrate the musicians, the theaters, the thespians, the performers, but they need support. So tonight we’re celebrating the goosebumps they bring to us, and business intersecting with the arts.
Now, there’s wonderful good news for you. I’m part of the Business Council of America, which is the top 150 companies in the country, and we gather three times a year, the CEOs, to talk about relevant events. Somehow I got stuck with the job of doing the survey. That’s my job, I’m survey guy. And in doing this last survey we asked the 150 CEOs of the largest institutions, “what is the most important attribute of a future C-Suite senior leader in your company?” and for the first time in history, by far, creativity came to the top of the list. [Applause.] So think of this, finally the right brain takes over! All of us are left brainers, at least at the bank we are, and this right brain, this creativity, this innovation, this thought provoking way of changing lives is what’s now in the offing. And so the greatest news of all is now is the time to get involved and be excited about what we can do intersecting business and the fine arts.
I’ll close with this very last thought. You see what we have here is storytelling. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the ballet or at the opera, if you’re listening to music or if you’re pondering a piece of art. It’s to your soul, not to your mind. And what we need to do today is celebrate the idea that business has found its moment in storytelling. So all of you here tonight, all nine of the great companies receiving this wonderful award, and those that fall before us from 2005 to today, we need to create this core of advocates, vocal, visceral advocates, to express that now business is reliant on the arts. Because the arts wouldn’t make it as far as they do without business, but the world wouldn’t make it at all without the arts. [Applause.] And so let the story be told that tonight we’ve got something to celebrate! And so here’s to more goosebumps, and Deborah Jordy, thank you for the nomination. We’re indeed honored to receive it on your behalf. Thanks everybody. Congratulations.
This Thanksgiving, when you're thinking about everything you're grateful for, don't forget to give thanks for your arts education. Many children today do not have access to adequate arts education, which expands creativity and leads to increased job opportunities.
Arts education advocates had a big moment last week when Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) added an amendment to the rewrite of the nation’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), integrating the arts into STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math). Learn more about this important legislation.
In a recent op-ed in the Houston Chronicle, Manolo Sanchez, CEO of 2014 BCA 10 honoree BBVA Compass, argues on behalf of arts education and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). "Exposure to the arts - to the endless possibilities of exploration in music, art, dance, drama - has the power to spark the kind of creativity that can lead to student achievement across many disciplines. It helps kids learn how to take intellectual risks and to dig deep into their brains to make complex connections," he says.
In this op-ed, Sanchez introduces a new musicians-in-residence program at Crespo Elementary School in Southeast Houston, a joint venture by the Houston Independent School District and Houston Symphony, with support from BBVA Compass. Crespo is a fine arts magnet school with a student population that's 95 percent economically disadvantaged and 97 percent Hispanic.The program is inspired by a "time-tested and respected initiative pioneered by the New York Philharmonic." According to Sanchez, "two Community Embedded Musicians from the Houston Symphony will teach third-, fourth- and fifth-graders about the power of classical music, reaching more than 400 economically disadvantaged students each year."
Sanchez claims, "Studies have found that students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were significantly more likely to excel in math if they'd had music education. Non-native English speakers are also able to pick up the language faster through the use of music."
"It's in the private sector's interest to step up and fund arts initiatives. It's good corporate citizenship, but it's also smart business," Sanchez asserts. "Those who do will be helping to bring the magic of the arts to students who might otherwise be unable to experience it, yes. But they're also helping build the kind of workforce that sees the world in innovative new ways - a critical skill for this 21st century."
Learn more about Americans for the Arts' arts education initiatives.
Read more stories about businesses supporting arts education.
Photo: Manolo Sanchez at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. BBVA Compass and the BBVA Compass Foundation sponsored an exhibition from Dec. 16, 2012, through March 31, 2013, of more than 100 European paintings from Madrid’s famed Museo del Prado at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – the first time a collection of its size was ever shown outside of Spain.
As we gear up for October 6th’s BCA 10 Awards, honoring the best businesses partnering with the arts in America, we recall the powerful words of last year’s honorees as they address attendees from the arts and business worlds from the BCA 10 stage…
“We think that in our area much of the economic success over the last 25 years is due to the regions’ ability to attract creative, entrepreneurial, bright young people. We not only have beautiful mountains and forests and boundless recreational activities, but we also have a vibrant arts and culture and drama and music community.” --Mike Hollern, CEO, Brooks Resources Corporation
“Hallmark’s mission is to inspire meaningful connections, which enhance relationships and enrich lives. We feel the arts are central to this purpose.” --Donald Hall, Jr., President & CEO, Hallmark Cards
“We believe that the arts can be inspirational, transformative to children and to adults as well who experience them through so many different venues… through theatre and dance, music, film, and visual arts. Businesses, I believe, working in partnership with arts organizations, can and must play a vital role to help make this happen today and in the future.” --Jim Weddle, Managing Partner, Edward Jones
“We will provide over $1.5 million in 2014 to the arts, but I don’t want anyone to forget the fact that in Philadelphia it will provide a billion dollars to our local economy.” --Craig L. Adams, President & CEO, PECO Energy
“The arts encourage all of us at Milliken to challenge how far we can push our own unique talents, whether it’s through architecture and interior design, through chemical research, through product design, material fabrication, and building infrastructure. We know that innovation in all of these areas really truly starts with preserving and promoting the arts and art education within our own local community.” --Barbara Haaksma, Vice President- Corporate Marketing and Communications, Milliken & Company
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