• (833) 222-(MACV)6228
  • mac-v@mac-v.org
MAC-V
  • Donate Now
  • Menu Canvas
    • Home
    • Who We Serve
    • Our Services
      • Housing
      • Employment
      • Vetlaw
        • Justice Involved Veterans
    • Get Help
      • Submit a Request for Service
      • Find a Local Office
      • Resource Directory
    • About Us
      • 2024 Annual Report
      • Our History
      • Our Leadership
      • Board of Directors
      • Staff
      • Philanthropic Partners
      • Digital Resources
      • Work For MACV
    • Events
    • Blog
    • Support
      • Volunteer
      • Contact Us
      • FAQs
      • Donation Information
    • Donate Now
  • (833) 222-(MACV)6228
  • mac-v@mac-v.org
MAC-V
  • Home
  • Who We Serve
  • Our Services
    • Housing
    • Employment
    • Vetlaw
      • Justice Involved Veterans
  • Get Help
    • Submit a Request for Service
    • Find a Local Office
    • Resource Directory
  • About Us
    • 2024 Annual Report
    • Our History
    • Our Leadership
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Philanthropic Partners
    • Digital Resources
    • Work For MACV
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Support
    • Volunteer
    • Contact Us
    • FAQs
    • Donation Information
  • Donate Now
CFO of the Year 2023 Small Nonprofit: Brian Peterson, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans
Home Feature Story CFO of the Year 2023 Small Nonprofit: Brian Peterson, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans

CFO of the Year 2023 Small Nonprofit: Brian Peterson, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans

Kim North
November 14, 2023
Feature Story

For five years Brian Peterson, chief financial officer of St. Paul-based Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, has striven to eradicate Veteran homelessness in Minnesota. He received this award from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Peterson significantly improved relations with major donors, resulting in more direct contributions and increased funding from just over $2 million in 2018 to more than $14 million today. This enabled MACV to expand its workforce and increase its impact statewide.

He transitioned the organization from paper records and manual reimbursement processes to a fully automated system synchronized with MACV’s client database, significantly improving efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, Peterson has worked toward making MACV an employer of choice by creating a work environment that attracts and retains top talent, is more efficient at service delivery, and is less reliant on contractors.

Outside of MACV, Peterson is board chair of Venture Academy and a partner at Social Venture Partners Minnesota.

More from our honoree …

Hometown: Crookston, now lives in New Brighton

Education: Bachelor of Science in Business, finance and nonprofit management, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

Family: Wife, Lisa; daughters, Evie and Etta; dog, Minna

Hobbies: Running, paddling, hiking

What’s a key metric or number from your career that you’re proud of? The number changes often and has more than tripled in the past six years, but today it is 124. That’s the number of people who I am lucky to consider my colleagues at Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, in addition to many more who have since advanced onward to other chapters in their careers. All on our team are dedicated to their role in supporting veterans and their families on a pathway to housing stability no matter the obstacles.

Why finance as a career? I was 19 years old and in my first year of college at the University of Minnesota when three friends and I founded an organization called Students Today Leaders Forever. Together, we built a nonprofit supporting dozens of college and high school chapters and youth-led leadership programs across the country. That opportunity to help build an organization while gaining an education in finance and nonprofit management set me on a path in nonprofit finance and leadership that I am still on today.

What was a key takeaway from the past year that will guide you going forward? I have long been guided by a belief that stronger organizations make a bigger difference. Nonprofits are working to solve many of the most complex challenges facing our society, and it is our responsibility as leaders to fully value the importance of our work and the resources it requires to be strong and capable as organizations and as a sector. While we work to make the biggest impact with every dollar, we should also strive to do more with more, support and invest in our people, and build financial health and capacity to truly achieve our missions and purpose.

Most unusual corporate expense you’ve ever OK’d: There are some very unique requests among the several million dollars in direct financial assistance related to housing stability that MACV provides each year. Some of the more creative ways in which we’ve supported people are by also supporting their pets. We’ve purchased insurance coverage when required by landlords to help someone keep their pet when moving into an apartment, supported pet care when they needed it, and much more to help preserve the support a pet can provide as we work with a veteran towards achieving stable housing.

How do you start your day? My early mornings currently revolve around helping our two young children get ready for the day and dropping them off at their school on my way into the office. And coffee!

What advice would you give a high school student? You will always gain more knowledge, experience and wisdom as you progress further into your career — although you will never have a greater ability to believe in what is possible, have more natural creativity, and learn from incredible mentors than during your youth. If you have an idea to build something or make a difference in the world, start with the first step and see where the journey leads. Bring some friends along for the ride, commit to each other as people, ask for help from literally anyone, and work hard.

What is something not many people know about you? I’m the type of person that given the time has a lot of interests. One of them was that I always wanted to build a wood boat like the one I had when I was a little kid. One day, I rented a truck, drove an hour to buy four sheets of marine-grade plywood, and started the project to cut them up and stitch together a little 12-foot skiff. That little rowboat has since provided our “first boat ride” at our wedding and gets us out on the water still today.

 

Article Originally Published: Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal By Brigitt Martin – Contributing writer Nov 13, 2023
Tags: Brian Peterson CFO Of The Year End Veteran Homelessness MACV Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans
Previous Story
Trinity House Coffee: Brewing Community, One Cup at a Time
Next Story
How you can help Veterans in need of homes this holiday season

Search

Categories

  • Causes
  • Employment
  • Feature Story
  • Housing
  • Legal
  • News
  • Outreach
  • Services and Other
  • Uncategorized
  • Volunteers
  • Ways To Give
5 Reasons Why Apple Autos affordable housing Alan Vanhoever 9/11 Aging Veterans Allen Henry 1-651-200-4750 Annual Report AJ Brock ADU Armed Forces Arlington House Anoka Air Force Veteran Amy Wicklund 3M American Indian OIC @mnstatefair aspen Apartments 22-2 2025 Salute To Servicewomen Golf Classic Army Veteran auction American Legion Juniors Ashley Stai Allie Andersen Announcement Alcoholism Amanda Hooper Ajay Vogar American Legion Auxiliary 2021 988 Press 1 @lionsclubs Apartments For Veterans @StandForHeroes Advocacy 2024 Salute To Servicewomen Golf Classic 23rd Veteran Art American Legion 2023 festival Accessory Dwelling Unit
  • FAQ’s
  • SUPPORT
  • DONATE NOW

Talk With Us

Click to send us a message.

MACV

MACV is a Veteran nonprofit organization with the mission to end Veteran homelessness in Minnesota.

  • ST. PAUL
    1000 University Avenue West
    Suite 10, St. Paul, MN 55104
  • (833) 222-(MACV)6228
  • mac-v@mac-v.org
    (For donations please mail here.)

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Who We Serve
  • Our Services
  • Get Help
  • About Us
  • Events
  • Blog

Support

  • Contact Us
  • FAQs
  • Donate Now
  • Privacy Policy

Our Locations

Copyright MACV ©2023
campaign
Send us your event


SearchPostsLogin
Monday, 12, May
MACV Employee Spotlight – Sara Beebe
Friday, 25, Apr
Advocates warn proposed bill could increase Veteran homelessness in Minnesota
Friday, 25, Apr
Celebrating Our Volunteers: MACV’s 2nd Annual Appreciation Event
Tuesday, 22, Apr
Breaking Ground on the 15th Housing for Heroes Home
Monday, 21, Apr
Veterans housing initiative breaks ground on 15th Minnesota home
Wednesday, 16, Apr
MACV Employee Spotlight – Tim Peterson

Welcome back,