David Bruns and Donald Bruns of the Northside TownCenter received the 2017 North Star High Impact Award with a nomination from the Northside Planning Council.

Dave and Don took over the helm of leadership for Sherman Plaza Inc., which was later renamed the Northside TownCenter in the mid-90s. The Northside TownCenter is aptly named as many Northsiders consider it to be the center of the Northside. When there are few vacancies at the shopping center, there’s a grocery store where they can shop and they enjoy a smooth drive through the parking lot, they regard the entire Northside as doing well. The persistence of the Bruns cousins has brought a renewed vibrancy to the Northside TownCenter and energy to Northside business community in the past year. Dave and Don’s continued effort to bring new tenants to the Northside in 2016–2017 culminated in the addition of several new businesses that have expanded the community’s ability to shop close to home and brought new jobs to the neighborhood.

Dave and Don are Northside cheer leaders who individually and collectively support a number of causes that are near and dear to their hearts.

Don is the Vera Court Neighborhood Center president and the Northside Farmers Market board vice president. He donated a 175-gallon aquarium for the library and stops in daily to feed the fish. Don and Dave bought a large fiber glass cow from Cows on Parade Wisconsin charity auction and donated it to the library.

Dave serves on the board of directors for the First Tee of SW Wisconsin, was a Village of Maple Bluff board trustee from 2010-2013 and was founder and chairman of the Hoses and Handcuffs Fundraiser to benefit fire, police and EMTs. He is working with the City and Reich Bros. to protect the Eastside Madison Little league diamonds previously on Oscar Mayer land. Dave is also a supporter of the Madison East High School athletics.

Dave and his wife Teri are involved with the American Family Children’s Hospital on the advisory board of directors and they participate in the First Business Golf Invitational.

Dave and Don also lease discounted space to NPC and Northside Early Childhood Zone and volunteer with one of their committees. They both participate in Northside Economic Development Coaltion, are a long-term NSN advertisers, with a backpage for more than 15 years, and are major donor of the North Star Awards.