Chairman of the Brehm Group Sworn in as Member of the United States African Development Foundation

Ward Brehm, chairman of the Minneapolis-based Brehm Group, was sworn in as a member of the United States African Development Foundation along with two others. The USADF’s chairman of the board, Jack Leslie, swore in the new members, who also include U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Ambassador Carson Johnnie Carson and OPIC Vice President Mimi E. Alemayehou. All three were nominated by President Barack Obama in June and confirmed by the United States Senate on September 27th.

During the ceremony, held at USADF's headquarters in Washington, DC, Mr. Leslie stated, "This is an exciting morning for the Foundation. USADF is committed to working with the most marginalized in Africa, and the careers and interests of these three individuals will support the Agency's work and propel its reach to even more grantees."

Ward Brehm is a recipient of the Presidential Citizenship Medal, the country's second-highest civilian honor, for his work in Africa. He is the author of two books on his experiences in Africa, “Life through a Different Lens” and “White Man Walking,” and is the founder and chairman of The Brehm Group, Inc., a Twin Cities insurance consulting firm based in Minneapolis. Brehm served as chairman of the Foundation's board from 2004 - 2008.

Ambassador Carson is a career diplomat and a former Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania. He previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya (1999-2003), Zimbabwe (1995-1997) and Uganda (1991-1994) and in diplomatic posts in Portugal, Botswana, Mozambique and Nigeria. He currently serves as the assistant secretary for African affairs at the Department of State.

Born in Ethiopia, Mimi Alemayehou serves as the executive vice president of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a position which she was appointed to by President Obama. She previously served as the United States executive director at the African Development Bank, and was the most senior U.S. Treasury official in Africa. Alemayehou has expertise on Africa and extensive experience working with groups to take advantage of market opportunities.

The new members will serve on the board alongside Chairman Jack Leslie, Vice Chairman Dr. John Agwunobi, Julius Coles, and Morgan Davis.