About Us	Grants & Programs	Volunteers	Donors	Staff
Calendar	Communications	Board	Legal Status	Contact
Mission/History		Photos		Home

Staff

Dick Crockett, Executive Director
Dick Crockett began his career in the nonprofit sector with his work as in-house legal counsel at North Dakota State University in the 1970’s and 1980’s. He continued his work as a higher education attorney with a law firm in Syracuse during the 1990’s, and finally with Gray Plant Mooty in Minneapolis from 1999 through 2003.

Dick has enjoyed participating in many community nonprofit organizations and foundations in North Dakota, New York, and Minnesota through board leadership positions, as legal counsel and as a volunteer consultant on organizational development and strategic planning issues. This included service on the Board of Governors and as Chair of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation, as well as Board service with the North Dakota State University Development Foundation, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry Foundation, and the Gray Plant Mooty Foundation.

This experience in the nonprofit and foundation world culminated in a career transition in March 2003 to a new position as the Executive Director of the Edina Community Foundation and the challenge of working with the Foundation’s Board of Directors to enhance its positive impact in the Edina community. On a volunteer basis, Dick currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts and the Westminster Counseling Center.

Dick is a graduate of the University of North Dakota and Stanford Law School, and he has completed a Harvard University Institute in Educational Leadership and the University of St. Thomas Institute in Executive Director Leadership. He lives in Edina’s Killarney Shores neighborhood with his wife Suzie, and their family includes two married sons and their wives, and two grandchildren.

Mary Brindle, Program Coordinator

Mary Brindle has a long record of volunteer work in the Edina community and received the Mayor’s Individual Service Commendation in April 2006. She is a member of the Edina/Morningside Rotary Club and has received its Rotarian of the Year award. She also serves as Chair of the Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission, is a member of Connecting With Kids Advisory Council and a Board member of the Edina Crime Prevention Fund. She was a member of the City’s Youth Sports Task Force in 2005-06 and was a volunteer leader for the 4th of July Parade for many years before accepting her position with the Foundation, which will involve continued staff support for the Parade, as well as for many other programs sponsored by the Foundation.

Mary has provided computer-related independent contractor services to several Fortune 500 companies, other regional businesses since 1983. She also provides website services on a volunteer basis to many of the community organizations with which she is involved.

Mary attended the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin, graduating with a Bachelor of Music Education degree and an emphasis in Psychology. She lives in Edina’s Indian Hills neighborhood with her husband Ralph. Her family includes an adult son, Luke, who is starting his career as a high school history teacher and football coach. Mary is a French Horn instructor and an enthusiastic member of the First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band.