January 1, 2026 —
It is with sadness that I share the news that Dan Grossman, a member of Young Voices’ Board of Directors, has passed away. Dan was a friend and mentor to me from the earliest days of Young Voices as a nonprofit, and a generous supporter of our work and of many other free-market organizations. I’d like to share a few reflections on his life and impact.
Death is always difficult to confront, but Dan was never afraid of it. He once told me that he was ready whenever his time came and that he treated each day as a gift. He lived fully—traveling often, keeping a full calendar of meetings with the organizations he supported, and staying deeply engaged with friends and family. Despite limited mobility, Dan insisted on walking as much as he could with his cane, always with a cheerful disposition and a genuine appreciation for life. I aspire to carry forward that same joy and perspective as I grow older.
Dan was also remarkably sharp. His decades of service on the boards of at least nine organizations gave him an exceptional command of nonprofit governance. He was unfailingly responsive, caught even the smallest clerical errors, and brought a disciplined focus to ethics, mission, and donor intent. His guidance made our work stronger.Yet for all he accomplished, Dan was deeply humble. He preferred to work behind the scenes and rarely sought recognition. Many people never even knew how he built his success—through an office supply catalog business long before the internet era. When asked, he would simply say he was a lucky man who built something that couldn’t exist today. When he was honored with the 2025 Sir Antony Fisher Award at the Atlas Network’s Freedom Dinner, his acceptance speech consisted of just two words: “Thank you.”
Dan also challenged me to think bigger. Money can be an uncomfortable subject in the nonprofit world, but he spoke about it candidly. At nearly every meeting, he would ask how large I envisioned Young Voices becoming. When I suggested a figure—say, $5 million—he would respond, “Why not $10 million?” He taught me that when an organization is well governed and mission-driven, growth is not something to fear; it is a sign of greater impact.
I will miss Dan deeply. I am grateful for his friendship, his wisdom, and his example, and I will continue striving to be the kind of leader for liberty that he encouraged me to become.
Sincerely,
Casey Given
President & Executive Director
Young Voices
