Tom Swain, a longtime leader in Minnesota government, business, and higher education, is being remembered for his citizen activism and passion for making Minnesota a better place. Swain passed away March 1 at age 103.
Swain, a World War II veteran, was a University of Minnesota alumnus (BSB ’42) and a longtime supporter of the University and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. He was active in the University Alumni Association and served as its president in the 1970s, and was a Life Trustee of the University of Minnesota Foundation.
Understanding the importance of athletics to the University and the larger community, Swain was a big supporter of Gopher sports. In 1946, he became the University's first-ever academic advisor for student athletes. He went on to become the athletics ticket manager in the early 1950s, and he served on the Athletic Director's Advisory Board during the tenure of former Athletic Director Joel Maturi (2002-2012).
Swain had a remarkable career of public service. Among his many career highlights, he was a longtime executive at the St. Paul Companies—now the Travelers Companies—held high-level positions under three Minnesota governors, led the Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission, and came out of retirement twice to serve in interim leadership roles for the University of Minnesota.
He also volunteered with numerous nonprofit and civic boards, and was elected mayor of the St. Paul suburb of Lilydale at the age of 85; he served two terms.
Humphrey School connections
Swain was a longtime friend and supporter of the Humphrey School.
He established a Fellowship in Public Leadership in 2004, to support mid-career Master of Public Affairs (MPA) students who are studying civic engagement or political leadership. More than 80 students have benefitted to date.
He also served on the Dean’s Advisory Council for nearly 20 years and provided trusted counsel to several deans over that time.
Swain once noted that over the course of his 60-plus year career, he had 16 different jobs. Half of them were in the private sector and half in the public sector.
“We need good folks in the public sector,” Swain said by way of explaining his ongoing support for the Humphrey School, and in particular for MPA students, who are mid-career professionals.
Many recipients said the Swain Fellowship was a turning point and a boost of confidence for them as they decided to pursue their master’s degree.
A new cause late in life: Climate change
Swain’s biggest contribution to the School came a few years ago, when he marked his 100th birthday by establishing a new high-profile initiative to address one of society’s greatest challenges—climate change.
Swain and a core group of friends collected contributions to fund the “Advancing Climate Solutions. Now: The Swain Climate Policy Series” at the Humphrey School.
The goal is to engage and energize students throughout the U of M, as well as residents across the state, to become part of the solution to climate change through policy and advocacy.
“This is the biggest, most critical issue that humankind faces today,” said Swain during the 2021 event that launched the initiative. “The planet is getting hotter and hotter all the time, and soon will become uninhabitable if we don’t find some answers to greenhouse gas emissions.”
The key to addressing climate change is to get everyone involved in promoting policies that will reduce greenhouse gases and advance climate solutions, he added.
To that end, the Swain Initiative provides support for public lectures featuring world-renowned climate experts and champions; interaction among climate experts, students, researchers, community partners, and the public; and policy-focused student internships and research initiatives.
“Tom was a leader and beloved friend who has had an outsized impact in so many areas,” said Humphrey School Dean Nisha Botchwey. “His generosity in supporting Humphrey School students and climate action initiatives is the embodiment of his dedication to public service. We will surely miss his wise counsel and involvement in our School.”
“Tom’s resolve on climate change, and the trust he placed in the University of Minnesota and the Humphrey School to address this critical issue, have meant so much to all of us,” added Gabe Chan, associate professor of science, technology, and environmental policy.
“Tom remained doggedly focused on growing public awareness of the urgency of climate action. Because of him, we’ve hosted large public events with national climate leaders. The Swain Initiative has also directly supported more than 100 U of M students in their preparation to become climate leaders themselves," said Chan. "They are conducting important applied research on climate solutions, working with a variety of community partners implementing climate action, and attending national and international conferences that all contribute to their understanding of climate change and their role in addressing it.”
‘Citizen Swain’
Swain’s 2015 memoir, which he wrote along with Lori Sturdevant, was aptly named Citizen Swain. It described him as leading a “vigorous civic life.”
“Citizenship has been one of the bases of my existence,” he said. “When one cares about a cause, one ought to work to build support for it. That’s better done if others can trust you to be fair, to listen, to respect their views, and to be willing to compromise.”
Swain’s admirers described him as a model of ethical and moral leadership, an inspiration, and a source of incredible wisdom.
In honor of his many contributions to Minnesota public life, Swain received numerous local and national awards, including an Honorary Doctor of Laws and an Outstanding Achievement Award from the University of Minnesota.
He was inducted into the Gopher Athletics M Club Hall of Fame, and Gopher athletics established an award in his name to recognize an office or member of the University community who has had a positive impact on student athletes, particularly in support of their academic pursuits. Swain was recognized by the National Governors Association.
The Humphrey School honored Swain for his long career in public service with a Hubert H. Humphrey Public Leadership Award in 2017. In accepting the award, Swain said the previous 20 years were among the best in his life; he lived by the motto that you’re never too old to take risks.
“I have [taken risks], and it’s one of the reasons I’m still around,” said Swain, who was 96 at the time. “The most basic steps to feel young are staying involved, keeping up with the times, and doing your part.”
Swain’s friends and colleagues reacted to the news of his death.
"As Tom learned about the existential threat posed by increasing CO2 concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere, his thoughts turned almost automatically to how Minnesotans might employ collective action to remedy that problem, and how the University of Minnesota could inform and guide their decisions. That thinking led to the creation of the Swain Climate Policy Series.
"Just two weeks before his death, Tom joined a meeting with Humphrey School staff, faculty, and the climate series advisory committee and spoke about his trust in the ability of his favorite institution – the University of Minnesota – to help spare his grandchildren and great-grandchildren from the suffering that a deteriorating climate would bring. He deemed no threat more deserving of Minnesotans’ attention, and no institution more able to steer them to effective solutions than the state’s flagship university. I know he would be most pleased if we who honor him in death also hear and heed that message." — Lori Sturdevant, member of the Swain Climate Initiative advisory board, and Swain’s writing partner on "Citizen Swain”
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“He was a remarkable inspiration for all of us. Climate was his passion, but people were his purpose.” — Bill Lester, chair of the Swain Climate Initiative advisory board
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“Tom had a unique attentiveness to others. At a Humphrey School gathering, it would not be unusual for him to walk right up and ask a pointed follow-up question about something you'd shared with him many months prior. Marveling at this, I once asked him, “Tom, how do you manage to remember so much about what is important to the people around you?’ His answer: ‘I make the effort, to show that I care.’ In this—as in so much else—I try to follow Tom's example.” — Gwen Freed (MPA ‘07), former director of development at the Humphrey School; Swain Fellowship recipient
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"Tom was the 40th Board Chair of the Alumni Association's Board of Directors from 1976-77. He was a transformational leader, touching countless aspects of the University. For more than eight decades he was a proud alumnus, a stalwart supporter and a friend to many. His legacy as a former University administrator and alumni leader has left an indelible mark on the University. Tom's impact as a passionate champion of the University will be felt for generations to come. On behalf of the Alumni Association, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family." — Lisa Lewis, CEO and president of the UMN Alumni Association
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"When it comes to supporting this University, you would be hard-pressed to find someone more committed than Tom Swain. Tom served on the University of Minnesota Foundation's Board of Trustees for two decades, and his deep-seated beliefs in accessible education, health care for all, and the power of public policy to improve people's lives never wavered. His impact at the University and across Minnesota will always be remembered." — Kathy Schmidlkofer, CEO and president of the UMN Foundation
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A memorial service is planned at McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota on Saturday, May 31, at 9:30 a.m. The family asks that memorials be directed to the Thomas H. and Arlene M. Swain Fellowship in Public Leadership.
Read Swain's full obituary.
