During his 33 years as an Eli Lilly and Co. executive, Robert B. “Rob” Brown was involved in helping the pharmaceutical giant make a global impact, particularly in China. In 1995, he relocated there to establish Lilly’s affiliate office, which, at the time, consisted of a couple of rooms in a hotel.
Over the next four years, Brown and his team built the foundation of what would become one of Lilly’s largest markets, employing 700 people in 53 cities by the time he completed his role.
Ruth and their young son joined him in China during that period in the 1990s, as the country was beginning its journey of economic reform and trade liberalization, and many goods were still scarce. Learning to adapt to the unique circumstances was formative. “China was just opening up, and it was an incredibly interesting time. We had to fly out of the country to get diapers for our son,” he recalled. The Browns deeply forged a lifelong connection to China, including adopting their daughter.
“Living in China opened our eyes in ways that only immersion in a different culture can,” Rob said. He believes that his and Ruth’s undergraduate study abroad experiences at DePauw University—his time in Germany and hers in Greece—also were transformative. “Our educational background played a huge role in our willingness and ability to move to China, adapt to cultural differences and view issues from multiple perspectives; it gave us the agility we needed,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons I’m a strong advocate for a liberal arts education.”
The liberal arts philosophy, which emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, analytical reasoning and adaptability, underpins the Browns’ support for Franklin College. Rob has served on the board of trustees since 2014, and Ruth shares his dedication to helping provide resources and opportunities that empower today’s students to broaden their perspectives and thrive as engaged citizens and professionals in the future.
Rob believes that investing in students ultimately strengthens the state of Indiana. “I’m a big advocate for Indiana and its efforts to attract top businesses,” he explained. “Coming from the corporate world, I understand what employers look for in talent, and my experience on nonprofit boards focused on education has helped me understand some of the challenges in academics. If we help Indiana students develop greater learning agility, we set them up for success—and that success ultimately benefits the entire state.”
Supporting Franklin College is a natural choice for the couple. “Franklin has a high percentage of first-generation students, and Ruth and I love that,” he said. “It’s also encouraging that so many Franklin College graduates choose to stay in Indiana to leverage their talents. That means our investment in young people is staying close to home.”
Franklin College holds personal significance for Rob, making support even more meaningful. “The place has intermittently touched my life for decades,” he shared. As a high school student, he attended summer football camps on Franklin’s campus, and years later, his mother, Carroll Brown, now deceased, met and married a longtime Franklin College Trustee, Jim Hoover, also now deceased. “Jim was a great guy, and his passion for the College meant a lot to many people. I appreciated how the Franklin College community also embraced my mom, even though she joined the effort a bit later,” he said. Jim and Carroll, as well as Rob’s father who died in the ’90s, set powerful examples. “Our family has always placed great importance on giving back to the community,” Rob said.
Rob and Ruth’s philanthropic support has also been inspired by Franklin College’s recent achievements and forward-thinking initiatives. Rob is impressed by the recurring success of Franklin’s #GivetoGRIZ 24-hour fundraising campaigns, noting that record-breaking alumni participation during the pandemic was remarkable. “That year seemed like a rallying cry that brought people back into the fold who may have forgotten how much they loved Franklin College,” he said. “It was a testament to the College’s strong sense of community.”
Rob also is excited about the College’s digital fluency initiative which merges applications in technology with each academic discipline and the liberal arts foundation, forming a distinctive academic experience. The Center for Tech Innovation at Franklin College, generously supported by the Browns with a previous gift, serves as a hub for the program, which extends to other settings. On the horizon is Innovation Park, a mixed-use development on approximately 250 acres that Franklin College owns near Interstate 65. It will be designed to support a range of uses, including research and development, light industrial and office spaces and diverse housing options to complement these purposes. Innovation Park and the enterprises it attracts will provide internships, experiential learning opportunities and job prospects for students.
“I see it as a game-changer. Having technical skills is important, but it’s the agility from a liberal arts foundation that really helps you thrive. Franklin students who gain both will be well-prepared for whatever comes next, and that’s something I think prospective parents will appreciate too. It’s more than an education; it’s a toolkit for life,” he said.
With her professional background as a computer programmer in the insurance software industry and with Citicorp POS, developing point-of-sale software for supermarkets, Ruth’s career journey mirrors the value of pairing technical expertise with a liberal arts foundation. Rob continues to leverage his liberal arts background alongside his industry-specific skills to drive new career success since retiring from Lilly.
After Lilly, he leaped into the world of startups, taking the CEO role at Brickell in Boulder, Colorado. He guided the biotech startup through a public offering in 2019 and the clinical trial process, ultimately submitting the company’s first drug to the Food and Drug Administration. The lead product was sold to a third party during the submission process but received regulatory approval in 2024 and will launch early next year. Since “retiring” a second time, he remains engaged in the corporate realm by advising businesses on their go-to-market strategies through Dancing Bear Consulting, humorously named after a Grateful Dead song.
Having navigated the dynamic world of startups, he now helps bring strategic vision to Franklin College’s future. Despite the increasing challenges facing higher education, he remains optimistic, believing that Franklin’s growing international student body and innovative programs, like digital fluency, will distinguish the College and strengthen its position for success.
He emphasized the importance of appreciating what makes the College special. “Ruth and I have spent enough time with the faculty, staff and students to see the familial atmosphere they have created. Franklin College holds a sense of closeness that should be cherished.”
Their admiration for the close-knit community and confidence in the future inspired the Browns’ latest acts of generosity: a $4 million estate gift to Franklin College and $500,000 pledge toward the renovation and restoration of the Elwood Fitness Center. “Ruth and I spent a lot of time talking about estate planning. We’ve built real friendships with folks at Franklin, and it feels like the right place to invest some of our inheritance. We’ve intentionally made an unrestricted estate gift to provide the College maximum flexibility. We think it’s important not only to support the College but to do it in the way most beneficial to its future needs.”
Their thoughtful approach to giving furthers Franklin College’s strategic plans for bold innovation and a dynamic future, while also supporting the mission of empowering students for impactful careers and meaningful lives.
“Ruth and I are proud to play a small part in Franklin College’s future, knowing our contributions will help students develop skills that will benefit them—and Indiana—far beyond their college years.”
By Amy (Kean) VerSteeg ’96, Editor
Franklin College Magazine