Family history connects one alumnus to a cause

Joseph Brodecki (B.A. ’70/H&S; M.S. ’76/H&S)

In 2008, President George W. Bush appointed Joseph Brodecki (B.A. ’70/H&S; M.S. ’76/H&S) to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council, the museum’s governing board, for a five-year term. Brodecki, a volunteer at the museum for 10 years, spearheaded the $200 million effort to create it in 1993. His longstanding connection to the museum and commitment to seeing it constructed stems from a remarkable family history.

Brodecki was born in a refugee camp for displaced persons in Germany after the Holocaust. His parents, who met at the camp, had been imprisoned by the Nazis and were the sole survivors of their families.

The family moved from Germany to Richmond, Va., when Brodecki was a toddler. He grew up loving baseball and planned to play professionally, but in his senior year at Douglas Southall Freeman High School, Brodecki’s parents persuaded him to go to college. He applied to one school — Richmond Professional Institute — which became Virginia Commonwealth University when he was a junior.

Brodecki studied psychology at VCU and after graduation began a successful career as a fundraiser, winning numerous awards in his field. “My foundation in psychology provided insights into human behavior, which were very helpful in my fundraising career,” he says.

In 1988, Korn/Ferry International, an executive recruiting firm, tapped Brodecki to raise the necessary funds to create the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Five years later, the museum opened to great acclaim. “What made me proud is that it was built by 300,000 Americans from all religions and races who gave generously to make it happen,” Brodecki says.

Today, Brodecki works for Bernstein Global Wealth Management in Washington, D.C., as a financial adviser to high net-worth clients, nonprofit organizations and foundations. From his office across from Lafayette Park and the White House, Brodecki can see the holocaust museum, a constant reminder of its importance and his part in building it.

“When I look out my window every day at the museum, I feel pride, humility and hope for the future,” he says.