Ellis N. Brandt

A quiet giant of philanthropy, local history and Dow Public Affairs, Ellis (Ned) N. Brandt died April 21, 2018 after a short illness. Brandt was born in Detroit, May 16, 1922 to Norman Frederick and Jessie Wilson Brandt. He grew up in the Detroit area, and he was drawn to journalism early on covering and writing up the sport events for the Plymouth High School paper. He continued journalism at Michigan State University where he wrote for the campus radio stations and was the editor of the campus newspaper, Michigan State News. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1943. While at MSU, he was a buck sergeant in ROTC. Brandt joined the U.S. Army after graduation and trained as an officer in the quartermaster corp. He volunteered for overseas duty and eventually served as public relations officer for Port Headquarters in Le Havre, France, the major point-of-entry for American troops. This was a very difficult assignment since the French believed the German story that it was the Americans who had destroyed the town. He received the Medal of the Reconnaisance Française from France and the U.S. Army's Bronze Star for his work. After the war, he spent several months in Detroit as a reporter for United Press followed by two years as a literary critic and English script writer for the French Broadcasting System. He also worked as a jazz show producer, was the editor of Export Import Journal, worked as a reporter for the United Nations in Paris (including interviewing Eleanor Roosevelt), and went to art school. Beginning in 1949, Brant served four years as press attaché for the U.S. Embassy in Paris to promote the Marshall Plan. He met his wife Jeanne (Jeannette) LeLay in France, and they married on Sept. 25, 1952. He joined the public relations staff of The Dow Chemical Co. in 1953, becoming director of public relations in 1965, director of business communications in 1970 and senior counselor of Public Affairs in 1978. He wrote many of William Schuette, Herbert (Ted) Doan, and Carl Gerstacker's speeches among others, and guided Dow Chemical through important public relations responses related to the company's products. He also was pivotal in facilitating research and writing for "The Dow Story" (1972) by Don Whitehead. He became company historian in 1983 before retiring in 1986. He established the Post Street Archives under the auspices of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation to preserve historical documents, and he documented Dow Chemical history through an active oral history program. Brandt is author of four books including "Growth Company, Dow Chemical's First Century"; "Chairman of the Board: A Biography of Carl A. Gerstacker"; "We Called It MAG-NIFICENT – Dow Chemical and Magnesium, 1916-1998"; and his latest book, "Bug Fighters: A History of Dow AgroSciences, 1897-2007," published in 2015. There aren't any buildings or streets named after him but Ned Brandt's philanthropic impact on Midland and beyond is legendary. As secretary and vice president for the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation since 1980, he has helped the foundation direct their donation of well over $238,000,000 to Midland, the region, the state and the nation. Known locally as "the Gatekeeper" for the steady stream of initial grant applications, Ned analyzed new applications for decades, worked with Carl Gerstacker and then Alan Ott prioritizing their funding, and advised the foundation as a member of the Executive Committee. His understanding of major relationships in the community and his recollections of the long-term objectives of the foundation's founders have helped the successor Gerstacker family members and made him a pivotal foundation trustee. Ned was a mentor to many up-and-coming colleagues in public relations at Dow Chemical, to foundation trustees and to many colleagues in the history field where his wisdom and avuncular advice guided them through new challenges. He received the Naegele Distinguished Community Service Award from Northwood University in 2013. Ned's modesty, his integrity, and his long-reaching contributions made him a wonderful recipient for the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the Mid-Michigan Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2016. In 2017, the Historical Society of Michigan honored Ned with its History Hero Award in recognition of decades of contributions to the society. Brandt's community work extended to the boards and committees of many organizations, including the Midland Area Community Foundation, Elsa U. Pardee Foundation, Council of Michigan Foundations, founding committee for the Midland Center for the Arts, Midland Symphony Orchestra, American Red Cross, Historical Society of Michigan, Midland County Historical Society, public relations groups such as the Public Relations Society of America and the Foundation for Public Relations Research and Education, and Rotary International. During his over 50 years in the Midland Noon Rotary Club he worked on many committees and projects, but his most outstanding service was as editor of the Midland Rotarian, a weekly newsletter published for about 25 years, and as Chair of the History Committee for which he assembled the 75th anniversary history of the Midland Rotary Club published in the Midland County Historical Society's Midland Log in 1995. He truly embodied the Rotary motto, "Service Above Self." Various endowments were established in Brandt's name in public relations and local archives management, to honor his contributions to the community, both funds housed at the Midland Area Community Foundation. The E. N. Brandt Chair in Public Relations at Michigan State University and the Science History Institute's Ned Brandt Oral History Program are named for him in honor of his work for the Gerstacker Foundation and The Dow Chemical Company. He was a long-time member of Memorial Presbyterian Church, having joined in 1954. He was an active participant until the last few years, not only in worship and in stewardship, but also as president of the John Knox Club, as a trustee, an Elder in the Session, preaching during Lay Sunday, working to help facilitate the national Presbyterian Church Foundation's understanding of big business and chairing the 125th anniversary celebration.

Ned was preceded in death by his sister, Mary; and is survived by his sisters Margaret of Michigan and Faith of Arizona and their families, including two nieces and a nephew and seven great-nephews, one great-niece, and one great-great nephew. The family is grateful to Karen Boughner, Barb Bradley and Jamie Fields of Laurus Home Care at Independence Village for their caring attention and love and to Gerstacker Foundation trustees Gail Lanphear, Lisa Gerstacker, William (Bill) Schuette, and Alan Ott and Foundation staffers Ruth Ann Wright, Kathy McDonald, and Roger Fisher for their love and facilitating his needs in his later years with such grace and care. Special thanks to Tawny Ryan Nelb for her never-ending friendship and devotion. His family shares that, "Beneath Ned's thoughtful, quiet and calm demeanor was an ever ready, truly warm and delightful sense of humor." He had this charm until the end. At Ned's 90th birthday celebration in 2012, he recounted his list of life's rules to the almost 200 celebrants. He said, "I have always tried to leave any organization I was involved with better off when I left it than when I joined it. No matter whether it's a club, or an historical society, or a church, or a professional organization, or a foundation, I've tried to do something that improved that organization while I was involved with it. Incidentally, I didn't ever make it known that I was trying to improve the organization, and this ties in with the second of my life rules, which is 'every once in a while do someone a major good turn, but do it anonymously'….There is something about doing good and being the only one who knows you did it that will warm your heart, and I recommend it to you."

Visitation with the family will be held on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Home. A celebration of Ned's life will be held at Memorial Presbyterian Church on Thursday, April 26 at 1:30 p.m. with visitation beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the church before the service. Interment will be at Midland Cemetery. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to donate to the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Midland, the Jeannette Brandt Endowed Scholarship Fund #668 for French education, or the Ellis N. Brandt Endowment #652 for the Midland County Historical Society Archives Collection. These endowments are at the Midland Area Community Foundation.