It'S blUe SkIeS aheaD for the fargo aIr MUSeUM

The inspiring story of Fran Brummund

BY KIM MALAKOWSKY // TAYLOR MADE PHOTOGRAPHY

fran Brummund has a big job, a big heart, and boundless determination.

Flying solo for the first few of her 6 ½ years as executive director of the Fargo Air Museum had its demands. It’s had its rewards too. A typical day is anything but typical at all. A quick look at Brummund’s day planner reveals what one might describe as blissful chaos. Weddings, birthday parties, corporate meetings, education classes, air shows, and museum tours, to mention a few, fill the little framed squares, overflowing the margins of the pages.

But, jumping in with both feet is nothing new for Brummund. Her college years afforded many opportunities and set the stage for an active life. “I had unbelievable experiences while in college,” stated Brummund. “I worked campaign trails in college, I was very involved in student government, Kappa Alpha Theta, Blue Key, Campus Attractions, internships at the ND Legislature and Capitol Hill, all of that.”

California Here I Come

A spontaneous nature and an even more spontaneous friend brought about Brummund’s next adventure. On an October day with graduation approaching, close friend Judi exclaimed, “We’re leaving for California in two weeks.” Brummund’s bright smile flashed as she described what happened next. “Literally, I got my piece of paper from the college on October 13 and we left the next day. I had five dollars, three cans of tuna, and some instant coffee, that was it.”

Undaunted by the big city, Brummund set out to land a job and that’s exactly what she did. In less than three weeks she landed a job as western region consumer marketing manager for Sylvania based out of Los Angeles. Two weeks later Brummund was on an airplane every week conducting training sessions across the country and working with a diverse group of individuals.

It was in this school of the world that Brummund gained appreciation for the diversity of those around her. It is a lesson she carries with her wherever she goes.

North Dakota.

After spending eight years in California, Brummund ventured on to Boston, which brought about plenty of changes. As she traded her westcoast lifestyle for that of the East Coast, other gears were switching. In Boston, Brummund took on the role of national marketing new products manager in the industrial side of Sylvania. Days were filled with meetings, engineers, designers, development and new product launches. The creative mind was spinning and her endless energy sent her on a whirlwind of activity.

Brummund reflected upon the many wonderful experiences of those days. It was a myriad of magical happenings from dining on fine food, to overseeing national promotions and programs to acting as spokesperson on New Years Eve at the dropping of the ball in Times Square, New York. But, just as quickly, she pondered the contrast and beauty of the experience here in Fargo and on the plains. She seems at home here in a settled-in sort of way.

A New Day

In 2006 Brummund found herself the sole full-time employee and executive director of the Fargo Air Museum. Always prepared for what lies in front of her, she set about organizing, defining and growing a budding organization into the next phase of development. Born in the minds of visionary aviators Gerry Beck and Bob Odegaard in 1999, the Fargo Air Museum officially opened its doors in 2001.

Brummund described the beginning, “Gerry and Bob were part of the founding fathers team. Sitting together after an air show, they began looking around. There sat a P-51 Mustang, a Corsair, and other warbirds and they laughed and remarked on how they could have a museum. Then realized they should have a museum because North Dakota is incredibly rich in aviation history including military,

And the vision took hold; it became a reality. Joining Gerry and Bob as founding fathers were Robert Miller, Darrol Schroeder, Dick Walstad, Alex Macdonald, Warren Diederich and Matt Butler. With a strong team in place, the building of the Fargo Air Museum began.

From the beginning the vision was to erect three buildings. One to provide education, one for restoration and the third to house the administrative office, a library, a gift shop and an archival storage area. Hours upon hours of volunteer time along with generous resources began to unfold this dream of area aviators.

Today, the Fargo Air Museum is busy raising funds for the second building, aptly named the Beck Odegaard Wing in memory of Gerry Beck and Robert Odegaard. Programs and events put in place over the years support the museum and allow it to grow.

Each spring a celebrity dinner and auction is held as a fundraiser for the museum. Scores of items are donated for silent and live auctions. This year included a beautiful stained glass art piece by Mark Bratlie of Turtle Shell Stained Glass Studio paying homage to the Corsair Race #57, a tribute to the late Bob Odegaard.

Also, in honor of Odegaard, Keith and Casey veil of Midwestern Machine in Jamestown created a 10’ x 5’ replica of the Super Corsair Race #57 in a lighted metal sign.

Unlike other museums of its kind, the Fargo Air Museum is a flying museum. Brummund takes pride in pointing out the oil pans beneath the planes. Each of the planes in the museum is ready to take to the sky and often do.

The museum has become a gathering place for pilots to share stories and history from WWII, vietnam, Korea, Iraq and more. veterans are honored for their dedication and service to our country. A permanent memorial exhibit created by local Eagle Scouts Alex Craychee, Andrew Nelson and Matt valenti containing over 4,600 dog tags with names of fallen soldiers of the global war on terror gained both local and national attention.

Education, Restoration and Preservation Brummund’s marketing skills are evident in the events and programs of the Fargo Air

Museum. Her motto “Alive, Alert, Awake and open to the public” serves as a basis for the many activities taking place each year. Brummund proudly stated, “We’ve really grown in terms of expanding our programs in education. We’ve added programs like Plane Camp.” Plane Camp was started three years ago, and is split into two age groups, 6-8 year olds and 9-13 year olds. At Plane Camp youth learn about elements of flight, navigation, instrumentation, propulsion, airport configuration, careers in aviation and more. Older students tour the air traffic control tower, the airport and the Fargo Jet Center. “We work hard to incorporate the whole science and math element for them” said Brummund.

“ Saturday in the Sky,” a lecture series for young and old has included Memories of a Flying Tiger, History of U.S. Airmail, Weather Modification, Flying Adventures in the Wilderness and Aeromedical Factors and Flight-Pilot Health from a Doctor’s Point of vi ew.

Over 200 kids and adults stop in for a visit each Saturday in December for a special Santa Fly-In. Sanford Health Lifeflight, Fargo Jet Center, and vic’s Aircraft all help to make this event possible. “It’s a big deal,” said Brummund, “It was over the top this past year, kids loved it, they got so excited.”

On Halloween you’ll find Planes, Pumpkins and Pizza happening at the Fargo Air Museum where little people come in to paint pumpkins, sit in the airplanes, and get a little “mini-Murph” pizza from Papa Murphy’s to take home.

“Our visitors have come from all 50 states and a minimum of 35 countries,” boasted Brummund, “breaking every record we had in 2012.” This past year was a record year for memberships, admissions, programs flying events and donations.

It doesn’t come easy. Brummund knows the importance of creating a museum experience that actively engages visitors on a variety of levels. While some visitors engage in reading every storyboard, others sit in the cockpit or experience flight via the Fraesca flight simulator and yet others relish hearing the sound of a B-17 bomber or P-51 Mustang engine. It’s the first-rate programs and outstanding events that give people a reason to come. Brummund knows too, it’s about creating an experience for the entire family and keeping things fresh with new exhibit displays, community events and a constant rotation of flying aircraft to keep them coming back.

Little Einsteins

Lessons learned at childhood linger on in Brummund. Her own upbringing was filled with many teachers, all playing a role in painting the portrait of this amazing woman with an infectious zest for life.

She now plays the role of teacher and mentor to a group of kids she affectionately calls the museum’s “Little Einsteins.” These are the children who beg for rides from their parents, buy bus passes with their own money, and use whatever means they have to get to the museum, so that they may spend their Saturdays volunteering. These are the future pilots, educators, engineers and politicians, and they learn many lessons in the classroom of Brummund’s “school.” “Treat them as adults” said Brummund, “give them respect.”

Pride wells up as Brummund talks about the “little people” who give of their time and talent to volunteer at the museum. They are the heartbeat of the museum. “They are one of our lifelines to who and what we are,” stated Brummund, “they’re an inspiration to our board, to our members, to our visitors. I remember having the worldwide president of Cargill here. A kid who was 10-years-old had him crawling underneath of an airplane, and the president is telling his staff to ‘keep track of him―we want him.’” visitors are often surprised to find their tour guide may be only 12 or 13 years old. But minutes into the tour it’s evident these Junior Ambassadors live and breathe aviation and have an enormous amount of knowledge to impart.

The Junior Ambassadors do everything from cleaning up oil pans, dusting airplanes and fixing model airplanes, to helping with Plane Camp. You’ll often find them hanging with a WWII-B17 bomber visitor, conducting tours and working with the public.

T he young volunteers are rewarded in countless ways. They have photographs taken with the Blue Angels, ride in vintage planes and acquire knowledge from the numerous pilots. They develop phenomenal teamwork, learn about philanthropy, presentation skills and the ability to deal with a diverse group of people.

When asked if she ever rides in the planes, Brummund selflessly responded, “I don’t need to be in an airplane, they need to. They deserve it, they worked for it.”

Milestones in the Making

On any given day, there is laughter, there are tears and there are moments when a young child’s heartbeat quickens as he or she climbs into the cockpit for the first time and in their mind takes flight.

There are brides dancing under the wings of airplanes as they begin a new life, daycare children having picnics with the planes and endless birthday parties. “We always have blue skies, even on cloudy days,” quipped Brummund, referring to local artist Karen Bakke’s beautifully painted blue-sky mural gracing the ceiling!

Brummund is quick to share the story of a 2009 Christmas wedding when she, 40 guests and the wedding party were all stranded at the museum during a North Dakota blizzard. With snowflakes sparkling on the wall of windows the wedding took place.

“You have an opportunity to laugh, cry and celebrate every day in this job from working with a veteran to working with EAA on planning Young Eagle flights.” Brummund said smiling. The museum holds the scope of an opportunity to attract everyone from a fiveyear-old wanting a birthday party with the planes to working with veterans like WWII TBM Avenger pilot Stew Bass or vietnam veteran Dan Stenvold to working with 96-year-old Fred Quam as he manages the research library. There is art, there is science and there is celebration.

Brummund is the first one to sing the praises of all who have been instrumental in the phases of success of the Fargo Air Museum. From visionaries to volunteers the hours dedicated to aviation education, preservation and restoration have brought a dream into reality.

In Brummund’s own words, “We are an open door to inspire dreams of engineering and flight for now and generations to come.” [AWM]

View or share this story online at issuu.com/areawoman/docs/jj_13 t he one who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. t he one who walks alone is likely to find oneself in places no one has ever been before.