Alumni News: Brian Osberg awarded for decades of alumni service

Brian Osberg

Brian Osberg has been awarded the prestigious University of Minnesota Alumni Service Award in recognition of his dedication to the institution.

Osberg’s relationship to the University is one marked by his ability not only to strategically envision next steps but also a commitment to do the work to get there.

This combination became evident soon after Osberg graduated from the School of Public Health with an MPH in 1986. At the time, he was a vice president at Group Health (now HealthPartners), where he was working to usher in new health care models. Knowing that the SPH would soon be sending out alumni with a knowledge deficit in this area, Osberg took it upon himself to design and teach a class on emerging health systems. The class is still offered today.

Provided lead gift to SPH Alumni Scholarship Fund

As a volunteer for the SPH alumni society, Osberg continued to infuse practice-based concepts into the school’s curriculum. His belief in the strength of the education compelled him to make the lead gift to the school’s alumni scholarship fund, which now stands at more than $160,000.

While a new Gopher football stadium was just a dream for most people, Osberg was serving on the University of Minnesota Alumni Association’s national advocacy board, analyzing policy and legislative issues pertaining to the sports venue.

One of his top achievements was securing the association’s $1 million gifts to the President’s Scholarship Match and the new TCF Bank stadium.

Outside of his leadership at the U, Osberg has championed the health of Minnesotans. From 2002 to 2009, he served as assistant commissioner of health care for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. For the past two years, he has worked as state Medicaid director at the agency.

“My volunteer service to the University, especially to the School of Public Health, is a natural extension of the great experience I had there as a student, and it is an expression of my gratitude for all it afforded me,” says Osberg. “I owe my professional success and personal development to the education I received at the U.”