LP 40 for 40 – David Downs

The Plano Chamber of Commerce signature program, Leadership Plano, celebrates its 40^th anniversary! For the past 40 years, Leadership Plano has been dedicated to educating, developing, and empowering current and future leaders for the community and motivating them to serve civic, charitable, and business organizations.

We are celebrating the impact of the past 40 years by spotlighting 40 Leadership Plano graduates who have paved the way for future generations, created meaningful change for the community, and continue to serve in leadership roles. This celebratory series, Leadership Plano 40 for 40, is Presented by UBS – The Kravitz Group.

Introducing our next spotlight, Leadership Plano Class 20 Graduate, David Downs. David is a long-time City of Plano resident with a heart for the community and helping others. As the eldest son, he learned early the meaning of leading by example and responsibility. As a Financial Advisor for 25 years with his own firm, Downs Fischer Financial, David spends much of his time assisting clients approaching or in retirement.

Within the community, David & his wife Chris are known for their volunteer and philanthropic efforts across many different organizations such as Junior League, City House, Children’s Auxiliary, Collin College Education Foundation, The ArtCentre of Plano, Heritage Farmstead and many others. At the Civic level, David has been a long-time active member of the Plano Chamber and currently serves as its Board Chair. David has also served on the City’s Parks Planning Board, Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council. For the County he served for several years on the Health Advisory Board as well as the Parks Planning Board.

David was honored by the Leadership Plano Board in 2012 with the Distinguished Leadership Award and in 2022 received the Plano Citizen of The Year Award. He was recognized in 2018 by his firm with the Equitable Hearts in Action for service to his community and distributed the $10,000 he was awarded to Plano organizations.

In his spare time, David also runs two photography businesses teaching photography to people from around the country on locations from coast to coast and provides, personal, commercial and creative photography work for local individuals and businesses. He most recently completed a showing of his work and the launch of his first Coffee Table book featuring examples of his work from the first 10 years of his journey as a photographer.

1. What first made you interested in participating in Leadership Plano?

I received a lot of encouragement to apply from members of the Chamber that had been through the program. I was working through a very busy year as a manager in my firm and I wasn’t sure I could find the time. At the very last minute I was encouraged by MY manager to consider applying. With 30 minutes to spare I got my Reference Letter submitted by slipping it through the mail slot at the Chamber office. I had no idea the impact the program would have on my life and business.

2. What is the most memorable part of your experience (or what is something that was happening in Plano that you remember about that year)?

There are so many memories from my experience with LP, it’s almost impossible to select just one. I clearly recall our retreat and the feelings associated with new relationships. The impact the sessions had on our understanding of our community and each other. The dialogue around selecting our class project was intense and we looked back upon our experiences together to determine our likelihood of completing the project. I remember being told I was selected to be our spokesman at graduation and feeling so unworthy because I KNEW so many of my classmates were more capable. Small moments throughout the nine months blend to create a perfect mosaic of how relationships, lifelong relationships, are built.

3. Why do you think LP is so impactful for our community?

I think it requires courage and commitment to apply for a program like Leadership Plano. Those are core requirements to serve in a leadership role, servant or otherwise. Assuming those are present, then the program creates a blend of activities and training that help each class member understand the roles each partner (individuals, businesses, civic organizations, volunteer organizations, the education community and government) play in creating the fabric of the community. There must be trust among individuals and among partners that the efforts of each group are for the betterment of that fabric. Leadership Plano is in a very big way a contributor to building trusting relationships among its participants. As those members take on leadership roles in the various organizations, the probability of fruitful communication and decision-making is greatly increased as the trust endures. I recall in my days of hiring individuals, the inclusion of Eagle Scout always stood out. Everyone who’s been a scout or had sons who were scouts knew what that stood for. I feel LP is similar. If you meet with someone you do not know but they mention they were in Leadership Plano, there’s an instant bond and the trust level is increased because both individuals in the conversation know a shared experience even if they weren’t in the same class.

4. What is one thing you can attribute to LP that is a success in your life or career?

Relationships! I’ve met so many people from the program that, even though they weren’t from my class, they have a similar mindset of service and commitment to the community. Whether it was supporting my run for Council or me supporting the organization they now lead, the program continually gives a member of any class a chance to connect with a “stranger” and quickly become a trusted acquaintance. If I evaluate my business success it’s very easy to tie it back to the Chamber and my involvement in Leadership Plano. I’m asked often to speak to new financial associates around the country about my success in Community Engagement and I always point to a pivotal moment in my career being when I slid that reference letter through the mail slot of the Plano Chamber. It kicked off a journey that has been rewarding beyond anything I could have envisioned at that time.

5. If your class had a class project, what was it and why was it important?

I think it’s a tribute to the program that each class feels is the “Best Class Ever”. For my class, it felt that way due to the bond we had with each other. The most recent new Class Reception event was so well done and there was attendance by all the classes throughout the years of the program. Outside of the most recent graduates (Class 39), guess which class had the greatest attendance as measured by a percentage of the members that attended? Class XX‚ “the Best Class Ever”.