Bryan Brenner ’95, founder and CEO of the Indianapolis-based strategic business advisory FirstPerson, has been elected to a three-year term on the Butler University Board of Trustees.

Brenner graduated cum laude from Butler University with degrees in public/corporate communications and journalism, with a concentration in public relations. While at Butler, he was in the band and was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi honorary band fraternity. He also served as a member of Butler University Student Foundation.

He is a member of the College of Business (COB) Board of Visitors and has served on the Young Alumni Board. His company has provided support to COB’s MBA Board Fellows Program and Butler Athletics.

Brenner founded FirstPerson, a privately held company, in 2010, merging two Indianapolis firms—his own Benefit Associates and Benefit Consultants, owned by Russ Stuart. FirstPerson now ranks as one of central Indiana’s largest employee benefits service firms and was honored as a 2010 Indiana Company to Watch by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

FirstPerson was also selected by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce as an “Indiana Best Place to Work” in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015, and Brenner was named Health Plan Adviser of the Year (2012) by Employee Benefit Adviser. He was honored as one of Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” in 2012.

Brenner serves on numerous boards, including The Oaks Academy, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and Aspire Indiana, Inc. Additionally, he serves on the National Advisory Board of Directors for NFP Benefits.

His wife, Elaine (Miller) Brenner ’94, earned a bachelor of music in music education from Butler’s Jordan College of the Arts. She has worked as a children’s photographer and previously served as a music teacher in Batesville Community Schools; an admission counselor at Butler; and Director of Small Groups at Eagle Alliance Church.

The Brenners have four children: Caroline, Grace, John Michael, and Lily.

In addition to Brenner’s election, the Board re-elected eight trustees to three-year terms at its May meeting:

Gary Aletto (Owner and Chief Operating Officer, Bright Sheet Metal Co. since 1986; Owner and President of GSA Investment Company Inc. since 1992)

Keith Burks MBA’ 90 (Partner, Bindley Capital Partners)

Gary Butkus ’88 (Director – Alliance Management, Eli Lilly and Company)

Keith Faller ’71 MBA ’78 (Executive Vice President, Wellpoint, retired January 2007; CEO & President, Wellpoint Central Region, retired January 2007)

Craig Fenneman ’71 (Owner & CEO, Fenneman & Associates)

Jim Lill ’70 (Chief Executive Officer, AxionRMS, Ltd., Westmont, Illinois)

Jamie Phillippe ’73 (Vice President of Development and Donor Services, Chicago Community Trust)

James P. White (Professor Emeritus, Robert McKinney School of Law, Indiana University, Indianapolis, and Consultant Emeritus on Legal Education to the American Bar Association)

The officers of the board also were re-elected. They are:

Keith Burks, Chairman

Jatinder-Bir (Jay) Singh Sandhu ’87, Vice Chairman (CEO, NYX Inc.)

Josh Smiley, Treasurer (Senior Vice President, Finance, Eli Lilly and Company, and Corporate Controller and Chief Financial Officer for Lilly Research Laboratories)

Jane Magnus-Stinson ’79, Secretary (U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana)

Bruce Arick (Staff), Assistant Treasurer

Susan Westermeyer (Staff), Assistant Treasurer

Benjamin Hunter (Staff), Assistant Secretary

Claire Aigotti (Staff), Assistant Secretary

 

Media contact:
Marc Allan
mallan@butler.edu
317-940-9822