ACCE Presents the 2025 Life Member Honorees

ACCE announces that Robin J. Anderson, CCE, IOM and David G. Brown are this year's recipients of the Life Member Award. ACCE bestows this pinnacle award on those who retire after stellar careers in chamber leadership. 

“We are pleased to recognize David and Robin as this year’s Life Member Award recipients," said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. "Throughout their careers, they have shown exceptional leadership and dedication not only to the communities and regions they served but also to the chamber profession. We congratulate them on receiving the highest individual honor in the chamber profession."

Join us in honoring Robin and David, their enduring influence and lifetime of service to the chamber profession when we celebrate this esteemed recognition on Wednesday, July 23, during the Awards Show, sponsored by Comcast Business, at the ACCE Convention in Philadelphia. Register here.

Robin J. Anderson, CCE, IOM

Robin served as president and CEO of the chamber in Mason City, Iowa—a role she relished for nearly 21 years. A native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, she is a graduate of the University of Iowa and holds a master's degree in servant leadership.

Prior to assuming her role with the chamber, she spent 20 years in the banking industry, serving as both a local bank president and as a regional executive overseeing operations for Bank of America’s 21 Iowa locations.

During her tenure at the chamber, she is most proud of leading community development projects such as the restoration of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Historic Park Inn Hotel and the establishment of the North Iowa Regional Commerce Center. She developed many programs which have become models for other communities, including the chamber’s Global Familiarization Travel Program, high school youth leadership training and the public art programs.

The Mason City Chamber earned 5-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and won ACCE's Chamber of the Year award. Robin earned the Certified Chamber Executive and the Institute for Organization Management professional designations and served the industry as a member of the U.S. Chamber Committee of 100, ACCE board and as chair of the Fringe Benefits Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of ACCE. She is a past chairperson of the Iowa Chamber Alliance, the Iowa Association of Chambers of Commerce and the Mid-American Chamber Executives. She was selected as a fellow with the ACCE Educational Attainment Division.

Robin served gubernatorial appointments to the Iowa Values Fund Loan & Credit Guarantee Board, the Iowa Great Places board, the Iowa STEM Advisory Council and the Iowa Arts Council.

In retirement, Robin is fulfilling a lifelong dream as an artist and serves her community on the board of the Coastal Arts Center.

David G. Brown

David is the retired president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber, one of the nation's largest and most highly accredited chambers of commerce.

With over 40 years of experience in economic development and chamber administration, David led the chamber with bold vision and contagious enthusiasm. During his tenure, the organization championed a strong business climate and community development, created opportunities for member visibility and networking, attracted investment and jobs to the region, cultivated leadership and enhanced the region's brand and image. Results achieved with the chamber-led Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership include the successful securing of 972 projects, resulting in 56,433 new jobs and nearly $15 billion in capital investment since 2004.

Under his leadership, the chamber partnered with the United Way of the Midlands and the Urban League of Nebraska to launch Omaha 2040, a 20-year vision for the region. Key initiatives addressed diversity, equity and inclusion; regional mass transit; urban core redevelopment; economic growth; and talent attraction and retention.

David began his career in Michigan in 1983 as president of the Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation and director of the port of Monroe. In 1985, he joined the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, serving first as vice president of economic development and later as president. He then served as president and CEO of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce in South Carolina until the summer of 2003. David assumed leadership of the Greater Omaha Chamber in October 2003 and retired in May 2022.

He also served on the ACCE Board of Directors for several years and was chair from 2019 to 2020. In 2015, he chaired the Horizon 2025 Task Force and received the ACCE Chairman's Award. That same year, the Greater Omaha Chamber was named ACCE's Chamber of the Year.

David is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where he studied industrial location and environmental studies.

Since retiring, he founded DGB & Associates, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning for chambers of commerce nationwide. He also serves as a lead consultant with NEXT Generation Consulting, working alongside futurist and economist Rebecca Ryan to help communities craft visionary plans for the future.