washington business
A year and a half later, when the board was searching for a new
leader, they didn’t have to look far.
Bill Fritz, the late contract lobbyist who was prominent in
Olympia for decades, expressed his feelings in a hand-written note
to Della Newman, then vice chair of the AWB board and chair of
the selection committee.
“You will not find a more qualified person to serve as permanent
president of AWB than Don Brunell,” Fritz wrote. “He knows the
system and knows the players well.”
The board agreed, and hired Brunell as the permanent AWB
president in January 1989.
In his November 1988 report to the board, Brunell said his
objective had been to avoid borrowing to make the payroll. “That
has been accomplished,” he reported.
building it up
With the immediate crisis averted, Brunell began the longer-term
work of strengthening AWB, both financially and in terms of influence and reputation.
Over the next decade, he introduced several new programs
and initiatives that brought in new revenue and new members,
instituted a series of award programs to spotlight individuals who
advanced the cause of business — and raise AWB’s profile by extension — and formed coalitions that improved
Washington’s business climate in tangible ways.
One of the first ways that Brunell strengthened AWB
was by entering into the association health plan market.
AWB’s association health plan, HealthChoice, is a huge
success today, providing insurance to 4,700 employers
representing more than 40,000 employees.
It came about as a result of Gov. Mike Lowry’s failed 1993
attempt to require all employers to offer health insurance with
the same benefits for all workers. That idea didn’t work, but Lowry
went back to employers to figure out a Plan B, which turned out
“I think people can draw inspiration from Don Brunell,
his record and how he leaves the organization.”
— Heidi Stanley, former CEO, Sterling Savings Bank
Even before he was named the permanent president, Brunell
was busy turning around AWB’s finances. As interim president,
he spearheaded a three-pronged approach to stop the bleeding: expense reduction, new member recruitment and member
retention.
30 association of washington business
DRAWS
DRAWS
ATTENTION TO
ATTENTION TO
BUSINESS TAXES
BUSINESS TAXES
BY DRAPING
BY DRAPING
BANNER ON AWB
BANNER ON AWB
RETIRES
RETIRES
FROM THE
FROM THE
U.S. ARMY
U.S. ARMY
1993
1993
NAMED AWB
NAMED AWB
PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT
1993
1993
1989
1989
FIRST POLICY
FIRST POLICY
SUMMIT HELD AT
SUMMIT HELD AT
SEMI-AH-MOO
SEMI-AH-MOO
RESORT IN BLAINE
RESORT IN BLAINE
1990
1990
MOVES TO
MOVES TO
OLYMPIA, BECOMES
OLYMPIA, BECOMES
THE ISSUES AND
THE ISSUES AND
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMUNICATIONS
MANAGER FOR
MANAGER FOR
CROWN
CROWN
ZELLERBACH
ZELLERBACH
JOINS AWB
JOINS AWB
STAFF AS VICE
STAFF AS VICE
PRESIDENT,
PRESIDENT,
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS
AFFAIRS
1986
1986
PRESS SECRETARY
PRESS SECRETARY
FOR U.S. REP. DICK
FOR U.S. REP. DICK
SHOUP, R-MONT.
SHOUP, R-MONT.
1978
1978
EXECUTIVE
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE
DIRECTOR OF THE
INLAND FOREST
INLAND FOREST
RESOURCE COUNCIL
RESOURCE COUNCIL
1975
1975
DRAFTED BY
DRAFTED BY
U.S. ARMY
U.S. ARMY
1973
1973
MARRIES THE
MARRIES THE
BEAUTY OF BUTTE,
BEAUTY OF BUTTE,
JERI TURNER
JERI TURNER
1970
1970
1968
1968
Don Brunell Timeline