Meaningful Missions Spanning Many Cause Areas

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Brian Blowers. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Brian Blowers, 53, is what some might call a “boy scout.” His friendly, upbeat attitude is contagious, and he seems to always be helping someone out or encouraging others. Perhaps that’s because he was once, in fact, a Boy Scout. It was a formative experience as a child that introduced him to what volunteering was all about and one that led to a life of kindness and a drive to lend a hand.

After earning his degree and U.S. Coast Guard license, he spent 10 years at sea on big tankers before getting hired by Phillips 66, where he has spent the last 30 years. Today, as Director of ESG Standards & Frameworks, Brian inspires colleagues, steering them to opportunities through the Social Impact team and employee resource groups.

He, himself, has been a dedicated volunteer across many initiatives. From building houses for Habitat for Humanity to biking for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, fundraising for the National Arthritis Foundation to organizing events for United Way. He’s President of the Phillips 66 Toastmasters Club and addresses the needs of his community through the Houston Food Bank, Target Hunger, and West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM).

In early childhood, Brian’s family depended, in part, on government assistance. The memory stuck with him. Now Brian is that assistance for others facing life’s challenges, lifting them up with empathy and a smile.

What inspires you to volunteer?

As a kid in Cub Scouts, I got the feel of it. Then, I got busy with life. As my kids left and in my later years, I had some free time and decided to start doing some things for other people to stay busy.

Opportunities have arisen through my company. Also, my sister has arthritis. My wife has multiple sclerosis (MS), and there’s cancer in the family. I’ve volunteered for organizations that support patients and research.

Tell us about your volunteerism.

I’m still involved with the National MS Society with my wife. I started fundraising in 2010 and rode in the MS 150-mile Texas ride for three years. After that, I became affiliated with the Phillips 66 team as Co-Captain and helped organize the team, the tent, and the activities around that ride. I bought food, got the caterer, and organized masseuses, porta-pots, etc. with a $20,000 budget for the four-day event.

I’ve personally raised around $35k or $40k. In 2024, the team cleared the $1M fundraising threshold. We were around $1.3M before we dissolved it a year and a half ago. Since then, my wife and I have done walks instead of the bike ride.

Relying on government assistance for a while as a kid inspired my work with the Houston Food Bank. My company organizes for us to go and help. I try to get to Target Hunger about once a month, too. We report to sites and divide up the food for the cars in line. And WHAM also allows me to go out into the community and give people food and essential items.

I’ve also been involved in the United Way for a few years. There’s a big annual event at HQ. I give monthly through fundraising, but I’ve also been involved either as a leader or co-lead for achieving our business unit’s goals. This past November, we decided to do a wine tasting with various vendors. I was part of the project team that set up.

My biggest current role is Toastmasters, an international club that helps people become better communicators. I got involved with the club at work in 2017. My job requires me to be public-facing at times, so I needed to improve my public speaking. I haven’t reached the Distinguished Toastmaster level yet, but I’ve gone through enough where I can help others. Teaching helps reinforce what I’ve learned, too.

As the current president, I help set up and run meetings and mentor individuals with private lessons. And what a difference that makes! I’ve seen people improve to the degree of moving up the corporate ladder or leave the company for bigger and better things. I’ve seen people break out of their shells to become eloquent speakers. It’s rewarding to see somebody succeed who was struggling.

What else has been the most rewarding part of your work?

There’s satisfaction at the end of a volunteer session. It’s like putting in a hard day’s work. I weeded a garden, for example. I helped build a house or packed 10,000 limes into bags to hand out. We accomplished a task that benefited people. I got to see smiling faces and work in a positive environment. That rejuvenates me.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

You don’t know everything. Patience is a virtue. Don’t be quick to judge. There are people who look like they’re doing well, but they’re not. Volunteers are the hardest workers, especially when they’re passionate about something. Amongst all the chaos we live through in today’s world, I still believe people can be positive and help each other.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

There are people less fortunate in certain areas than I am, so I’ll help them out. I’ll give them a boost if they need it. Sometimes, all it takes is that one connection, that one spark. Then, you run into that person a few years later, and they’ve completely pivoted and are doing really well. Those are cool moments.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

If you’re going to commit to something, do it wholeheartedly. But don’t overcommit yourself and dilute your efforts. That’s doing it a disservice.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

Try it all, and stick with what you enjoy. And be positive. Do what you can, and just try to be a good, upstanding person. That’s the bottom line. Be a part of something bigger. I look forward to it.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Brian? Find local volunteer opportunities.