A partnership to end pancreatic cancer

Bryan Speicher and Kelley Speicher Aronson. Photo/Provided.

Since 2010, BSI Engineering has raised more than $1.2 million for pancreatic cancer research at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center in honor of a friend and inspiration to BSI's founders, Bryan Speicher.

David Speicher was in high school when his father, Bryan, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He watched his dad confront the disease with determination, strength and faith. Though Bryan eventually passed in 2003, his courage in the face of adversity remains exemplary to David and his sister, Kelley Speicher Aronson. Bryan's strength has continued to inspire all those who knew him, including the employees of BSI Engineering, the company that is named for him and founding president, Phil Beirne - Beirne and Speicher Inspired. Though names and faces have changed within the company, Bryan's kindness, the genuine care and concern he showed for others, and his generous and giving nature are legendary and foundational to BSI, its culture and ethos.

"My dad was always giving," says David, "and that spirit of giving continues to live on through BSI, where we support and contribute to the charities our employees are passionate about and actively participate in."

Bryan Speicher. Photo/Provided.

Supporting pancreatic cancer research in honor of Bryan Speicher makes up nearly half of the company's annual charitable giving, says Nick Long, a principal in the company who heads up the company's philanthropic efforts, and first learned about the Cancer Center
from his brother who was doing an oncology residence there. It's important for BSI employees to keep giving to UC's cancer research, Long says, but the company also gives money to an array of other causes, both large - like the American Lung Association and Big Brothers, Big Sisters - and small. "We'll direct our money to whatever our employees are participating in and are passionate about," says Long. "It could be coaching a baseball team; it could be a local 5k."

For David and Kelley, there's no doubt that their father would take pride in knowing that the employees of the company he co-founded dedicate their time and energy to causes that matter to them - because Bryan Speicher was always an advocate for changing things that he felt strongly about, and he never shied away from rolling up his sleeves and making those changes happen.

Bryan helped build a YMCA from the ground up in Dearborn County, Indiana, when his family lived there, says Kelley. He and his wife, Cheri, started a giving tree in their community, "and he liked to be a part of delivering the gifts." When the Speichers first moved to Indiana, the roads in their neighborhood were gravel; Bryan took it upon himself to knock on doors and get neighbors on board to put money up front and turn the roads over to the county for maintenance. And when tornadoes ripped through the area in 1990, he helped repair broken roofs.

"There are so many stories about Bryan," says Long, who joined BSI in October 2007 and having never known him personally. "His soft demeanor. His understanding of people on a personal level, he wanted to have personal conversations whenever possible - and that kind of communication is very important to us. It's important that we stay connected personally and I think that all comes from Bryan.

Your generosity has illuminated what's next: Student success beyond the classroom. Bearcats winning on the Big 12 stage. The gift of discovery for the health of our community. When you give to the University of Cincinnati and UC Health, you invest in the problem-solvers of tomorrow.

Iyer is a freelance writer.