PPB October 2017

Jay Deu t sch C aring seems to come naturally to Jay Deutsch, CEO and co-founder of Woodinville, Washington-based distributor Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, LLC. When longtime BDA employee Susan Brockert was murdered as a result of domestic violence on a BDA company trip to Hawaii in May 2012, Deutsch was one of the first people who arrived at Brockert’s hotel room. Deutsch describes how it would have been easier to back away from the situation, to run away from it; however, he and his childhood best friend and co-founder Eric Bensussen have what they call a “run into it” philosophy. “The ‘run into it’ philosophy means facing challenges head on and viewing obstacles as opportunities,” Deutsch says. “While Susan’s deathwas an unspeakable tragedy, it created an opportunity for us to come together andwork toward eradicating domestic violence for good.” The incident moved Deutsch and others at BDA to found the BDA Cares Foundation, whose mission is to develop partnerships and programs with fellow nonprofits that share the commitment to ending domestic violence and to finding a cure for ovarian cancer. In 2013, Deutsch was featured in an episode of ABC’s reality TV show, Secret Millionaire , in which self-made businesspeople spend a week in the country’s poorest areas and ultimately gift unsung community heroes with donations. Deutsch was dispatched to Phoenix, where he spent six days volunteering and learning about community organizations that care. He even volunteered as a barista for a coffee shop whose profits go toward helping survivors of domestic violence. The only bad part about the experience was having to be apart from his family for six days. “I miss my family terribly,” Deutsch said on the TV show. “The fact that I can’t talk to my family bugs me the most.” Clearly, Deutsch is a man who cares deeply—about his family, his company and his employees. What goes around, comes around for Jay Deutsch. BDA In The Big League Founded in 1984 byDeutsch and Bensussen, BDAnowhasmore than 500 employees worldwide, including domestic branch offices inDetroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles andNewYork City as well as overseas offices inManila, Philippines; Shenzhen, China; and London, England. “Eric and I started BDA with an idea and a phone call to the Jay Deutsch, CEO of Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, speaks out about himself, his company and the future of the industry. by Brittany Glenn Get To Know The Man Behind BDA 78 | OCTOBER 2017 | THINK