The David Brophy papers primarily document the various Growth Capital symposia (GCS) and consist largely of information books distributed to conference attendees, brochures, correspondence, notes, pamphlets, and promotional materials. The material is dated from 1984-2019, although materials related to the 1996, 2000, and 2001 conferences are absent.
Information books make up the bulk of this collection. Each book typically contains an agenda, a welcome letter, sponsor information and advertisements, speaker biographies, and profiles of companies—including university spinouts—seeking financial sponsorship from investors. The kind of information presented in each profile is varied, but often includes a description of the speaker and company, a brief description of key personnel, products or services, relevant market as well as competition information, financial highlights, and capital needs. Companies that are seeking investment include those relating to automotive technology; clean technology; information technology (IT), including healthcare IT; medical devices; and software. The collection also includes a small amount of material—primarily information books—related to the Florida Growth Capital Symposium, Iowa Growth Capital Symposium, and European Growth Capital Symposium. Unless otherwise explicitly noted in the finding aid, however, the bulk of the materials in this collection relate to the Growth Capital Symposium (GCS)—later known as the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium and the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (both MGCS)—that was held in Michigan.
The collection also includes audiovisual materials that document the Growth Capital symposia, lectures delivered by speakers such as Dr. Brophy and former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, National Association of Small Business Investment Companies (NASBIC) events, and the University of Texas at Austin's Moot Corp Competition (now known as the Venture Labs Investment Competition).
David Joseph Brophy was born in New Waterford, Nova Scotia, in August 1936. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1956 and a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1957 from St. Francis Xavier University. Brophy next attended the University of Detroit and received his Master of Business Administration degree in 1959. After working at St. Francis Xavier University as a lecturer in economics from 1959-1960, Brophy matriculated to The Ohio State University (OSU), where he also held several university positions as well as worked as a consultant for the Huntington National Bank (circa 1963-1965). He received his Ph.D. in Economics, with a specialization in business organization, in 1965.
After serving on OSU's faculty, Brophy joined the University of Michigan as an assistant professor of finance in 1966. He was promoted to associate professor in 1970 and, in 2013, to professor. Brophy has founded, co-founded, and/or directed several University of Michigan units and programs, including the Office for the Study of Private Equity Finance, later known as the Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance. He has also served on or supported numerous university and non-university boards, committees, and related organizations, including the University Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics, the executive committee for the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, the Michigan Governor High Technology Task Force, and the 1995 White House Conference on Small Business. He has also directed, worked at, or consulted for numerous banks, companies, financial services firms, investors, government agencies, and money market funds.
Brophy's research and teaching have focused on various financial topics, including entrepreneurial finance, private equity finance, and venture capital. He has authored or co-authored dozens of works, including Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development. He was a founding member of the Journal of Business Venturing's, Journal of Private Equity Finance's, and International Venture Capital Journal's editorial boards and has served as a reviewer for several other journals. Brophy has received several awards, including the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies Research Award in 1981 and 1982, Lifetime Achievement Award (2009) and the Above and Beyond Award (2016) from the Michigan Venture Capital Association, and a Leaders and Best Award from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business in 2016.
Brophy has also been involved with several conferences and seminar series, including the U-M Private Equity Finance Conference and the U-M Women Who Fund Conference. Notably, in 1980, he organized the first Growth Capital Symposium (GCS). Under Brophy's direction, the predominantly annual conference has connected startup and expanding technology companies—particularly those from Michigan and the Midwest—with investors as well as University of Michigan community members. In addition to providing funding and networking opportunities, the symposium has also included educational sessions.
In addition, the Michigan Growth Capital Foundation was established in 1982 and the Growth Capital Group, Inc. was founded in 1985. The group's purpose was to facilitate similar symposia beyond Michigan, while the foundation offered guidance as well as supported those involved with Michigan's entrepreneurial community. The foundation also supported both the symposium as well as the Growth Capital Group. Brophy held leadership roles in both organizations.
The symposium's scope grew from four presenting companies in 1980 to one that—as of 2020—hosts several dozen companies. The conference also grew beyond Michigan, with similar symposia being held across the United States and world. The symposium's name has also changed over the years, from the Growth Capital Symposium, to the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS), and—beginning in 2019—to the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (also MGCS). It has also had several sponsors since its formation, including the University of Michigan's Institute for Science and Technology (IST), Graduate School of Business Administration (later known as the Stephen M. Ross School of Business), Office for the Study of Private Equity Finance, and Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.
In 2017, the symposium was named a Community Impact Awardee by the Michigan Venture Capital Association.
On May 31, 2021, Brophy retired from the University of Michigan. Upon his retirement, he was granted emeritus professor status.
