Meet Trey Granger | President, Friends of Scottsdale Public Library

We had the good fortune of connecting with Trey Granger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Trey, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
People don’t realize that even though libraries are (usually) government operated, these funds only cover the basics like building costs, staff, and materials. When people utilize a free program or event at their local library, a Friends group is typically involved in some capacity.

In Scottsdale, we focus our efforts on spreading the impact of the library outside of branch walls. We fund free giveaways to encourage second graders in all public schools to sign up for their first library card. We partner with local and national authors to speak in different venues and encourage literacy at all ages. We provide funding for mobile libraries in high-traffic areas like parks and community centers so everyone has access to free books. All of these programs are offered to the community at no charge.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have always been involved with causes in my professional life. In high school and college, I was part of service organizations. My first job after school was in cause marketing, helping partner for-profit companies and non-profit organizations for a mutually beneficial relationship. Every company I have worked with or led since then has giving back as part of its mission.

The challenge in connecting the for-profit and non-profit worlds is two-fold: you need to convince the for-profit that its donation is more than just a good deed and can actually help generate business, and you need to convince the non-profit to recognize its donors with more than a tax letter.

For me, return on investment is the name of the game. I want everyone to feel like the partnership had easily measured benefits.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely incorporate a hike, as the Phoenix area has some amazing trails where you will see all kinds of interesting wildlife. It always amazes me when visitors want to get a picture of a cactus, because I take them for granted seeing them every day. South Mountain, Camelback Mountain, and McDowell Mountain are three favorites depending on difficulty level of the hike.

I would visit the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, especially for visits around the Holidays. I would also tour the Wrigley Mansion to show some of the history of Arizona. I would take in a baseball game between March and November to enjoy the incredible weather.

For food, I like showcasing the older restaurants in the area, like Los Olivos in Scottsdale or Durant’s in Downtown Phoenix. I want a place with good food, but also a fun story and atmosphere.

For nightlife, I would showcase one of the many cool speakeasies in the Valley. The Ostrich in Downtown Chandler, Valley Bar in Downtown Phoenix, and The White Rabbit in Gilbert are worth checking out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to my sister Amanda, who taught me to read before I ever entered school. This put me ahead of the curve on my educational trajectory, and led me to view education as a privilege instead of a requirement.

Website: https://scottsdalelibraryfriends.org/

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Image Credits
All photos courtesy of Friends of Scottsdale Public Library