Get to Know Frank Brown
Steward of Minuteman Press Uptown
A resident of North Minneapolis, Frank Brown graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Accounting from Central Washington University and an MBA from Seattle University.
For nearly 30 years, Frank worked in large printing companies who often didn't treat their workers fairly, and countered his values of racial, social, and economic justice. The last straw was seeing new male hires to a company make higher wages than a female department lead.
Frank started Minuteman Press Uptown in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, and moved the business to North Minneapolis in January 2023. MP Uptown is the only minority-owned Union print shop in the State of Minnesota.
Frank Brown puts his values front and center, knowing that employees are significant stakeholders and are key to a successful bottom line. He is driven to create good jobs with living wages and benefits. Frank believes strongly in second chances for people who made a mistake in the past and are committed to contributing to their families and the community.
Frank's activism started in 2009 with TakeAction Minnesota’s Renew campaign. He became a founding member of the Justice for All Program at TakeAction Minnesota, and led the campaign to Ban the Box, leading a 300-person rally in downtown Minneapolis. Frank supports the community by staying active in organizations that fight for racial, social and economic justice.
Frank is a sustaining member of TakeAction Minnesota, and other justice organizations. He serves the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce and the Mainstreet Alliance. He also sponsors many community-based organizations and works to promote BIPOC-owned businesses in the State of Minnesota.
The Social Mission of Minuteman Press Uptown
All of us have made mistakes in our lives, especially when we were young. Some of these mistakes are more serious than others. Think about it: most of us have been in circumstances that could have resulted in an arrest. For example, anyone who has gotten behind the wheel after a few drinks but always got home safe isn’t a “better person” than someone who got in a serious accident.
While our mistakes are all different, those with convictions have paid a heavy price that goes far deeper than lost time. Once they pay their debt, they rejoin the community. And the question is: As a community, do we want people re-entering to be dependent and desperate, or do we want them to have the tools to support their families and contribute to our community?
Many employers are good at talking the talk. They promote Second Chances on their web sites. But in this digital age, applicant screening practices make it all-but-impossible for people re-entering to secure meaningful work. Relying on automated applicant screeners is harmful to the individual, the community, and the companies who miss out on qualified workers yearning to apply their skills and demonstrate their loyalty.
The Positive Impact on Customer Satisfaction
At Minuteman Press Uptown, we have found that most people re-entering are motivated to prove that they are not defined by their worst moment. We believe in Second Chances and hire people with records. What we’ve learned is that it’s good for business. Our strong hiring standards and supportive culture translates to a high accountability environment. Our team members learn faster, stay here longer, and care about our customers more than the big print shops.
For over 10 years, we’ve never had a single workplace incident. We’ve never had a customer complain about our hiring practices. In fact, the opposite is true: our Google reviews are more favorable than any other print shop in the Twin Cities.
Perhaps the most surprising and rewarding thing about our Social Mission is found in those individuals who moved on. They started with us, worked hard, dreamed big, and eventually left to have incredible success elsewhere. The fact that we were there to get them started on the right foot means so much to us. This is what drives us. And this is what makes Minuteman Press Uptown succeed. We deliver high quality print solutions for our customers while also strengthening the community by giving deserving individuals the second chance they need.
