Recently, Brehm brought his message on the importance of fostering African self-sufficiency to the 2008 National Prayer Breakfast, where he was the first businessman ever asked by Congress to give the keynote address before an audience including the U.S President, and First Lady, numerous foreign Heads of State, most members of Congress and the Washington diplomatic community.

Brehm has represented the United States as part of three Presidential diplomatic delegations to Africa and also serves as an American delegate to the African Growth and Opportunity Forums (AGOA) held each year to promote trade between Africa and the United States. Brehm has presented at two White House roundtables on the importance of faith-based organizations in international and domestic humanitarian work.

Brehm has also served as an unofficial diplomat, quietly behind the scenes connecting African and American leaders. He has also brought leaders together from both sides of the aisle in Washington to unite and support African development initiatives.

Brehm has traveled to Africa 32 times since his first trip in 1993. He initiated the Windpump Project in the early 1990s that brought clean water to remote areas in Kenya. And he has funded other ventures to improve local schools, create greater access to health care and build much needed infrastructure.

Brehm is the author of two books on his experiences in Africa, Life Through A Different Lens and White Man Walking.

Ward Brehm is also the founder and chairman of The Brehm Group, Inc., a Twin Cities insurance consulting firm. He and his wife, Kris, have been married for 29 years and have three children Andy, Michael, and Sarah. Brehm is a lifetime Minnesota resident and currently lives in Wayzata.