Pictured Above: Mary Catherine and Duke Baldridge
What does corporate leadership in the arts look like? In our latest Corporate Spotlight, Duke Baldridge, President of Dominion Risk Advisors, shares why his company made a long-term investment in the Roanoke Cultural Endowment. From strengthening economic vitality to retaining top talent, Duke makes the case that supporting the arts isn’t just philanthropy—it’s smart business strategy.
Q: Dominion Risk Advisors made a multi-year commitment to support the Roanoke Cultural Endowment—a powerful example of corporate leadership in strengthening our region’s arts ecosystem. What inspired you to make this long-term investment?
There are a number of reasons that we support the RCE, personally and professionally. As citizens, my wife, Mary Catherine, and I love the arts. They bring beauty to our lives and those of others. We are grateful for the generous leadership of those who created the museums, music venues, companies, and theaters that we all enjoy. It is a civic calling to honor that leadership by building a generational foundation of support for the arts. Professionally, our business believes that the community is one of our stakeholders. We support education, mental health, economic development and the arts. Each of these areas of interest build a healthy, vibrant community of which we can all be proud.
Q: As a business owner, how do you see Roanoke’s arts and cultural scene contributing to economic vitality, workforce retention, and quality of life in our region?
Working in downtown Roanoke for the past 37 years, I have heard dozens of times about how the arts bring people together. They create an energy to which people respond. We know that there are professionals and businesses who want to be located in a community with great musical companies and visual and performing arts. Without these cultural assets, they would choose to live and work elsewhere. Those people are our customers; we need them to be here so that our business can thrive. We really don’t support the arts for a financial return, but we do know that the community’s collective support of the arts benefits our business.
Q: From your perspective, why should other corporate leaders view support for the arts not just as philanthropy, but as smart economic strategy?
Every business benefits from a healthy, energetic community. The arts stimulate people; they bring customers to town; and help us retain great employees. It is hard to think of an industry that does not benefit from the arts. Candidly, as businesses, supporting the arts is our shared responsibility.
Q: Roanoke’s creative energy and cultural experiences make this a uniquely appealing place to live, work, and visit. How has the arts community influenced the way you think about doing business here?
Mary Catherine and I enjoy art of all kinds, but our favorites are probably visual and performing arts. A perfect night for us is dinner and the theater, and a great afternoon is browsing art in a gallery. We would not want to live nor work in a community that lacks what we have. We love Roanoke and the arts are a core part of that love. Supporting the arts is a huge part of our corporate vision – “we will reinvest in the community in life-changing ways!”
We are deeply grateful to Dominion Risk Advisors for investing in our community through their support of the Roanoke Cultural Endowment. DRA recognizes that Roanoke’s nonprofit arts sector fuels our local economy, generating $64 million in annual economic activity. We appreciate their commitment to sustaining and strengthening our arts and cultural assets.
Learn more about DRA at www.domrisk.com
