Chair Emeritus Don Lents honored with lifetime achievement award from Grand Center Inc.

BCLP Chair Emeritus Don Lents will be honored with a lifetime achievement award from Grand Center Inc. The award, to be presented Sept. 23 at the annual Grand Center Gala, is in recognition of his more than two decades of service to the arts organization.

Established in 1981, Grand Center Inc. is the developer, facilitator and connector of Grand Center Arts District, a 175-acre area in St. Louis’ midtown that serves as the region’s landmark destination for the arts. Today, Grand Center Arts District is a vibrant location for arts and culture organizations, creative entrepreneurs and businesses in St. Louis and the Midwest.

Don’s involvement dates back nearly 23 years, when he first joined Grand Center Inc.’s Board of Directors. He served as Chair of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee from 2004 through 2006, and again from January 2019 until earlier this year.

“Don has always sought to make St. Louis a better place, whether through his work at BCLP or his many community involvements,” said Firm Co-Chair Steve Baumer. “We’re extremely proud to call him our colleague and friend.”

“Championing St. Louis and supporting the arts have always been top priorities for Don,” said St. Louis Office Managing Partner Ryan Davis. “We are so lucky have him as an integral part of the region. We congratulate him on this well-deserved honor from Grand Center Inc.”

Among Don’s other current civic involvements, he is a Commissioner with the St. Louis Lambert International Airport Commission and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Greater St. Louis, Inc. Foundation.

Prior involvements include serving on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and as Treasurer of the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce, on the United Way of Greater St. Louis’ Board and Executive Committee, as Chair of Leadership St. Louis, Chair of Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, a member of the Board of Coro Foundation (St. Louis) and of the Harvard Alumni Association, and as a member of the National Council of the Library System of Washington University in St. Louis, among others.

Don joined BCLP in 1974 as a new attorney just having graduated from Harvard Law School. His practice centers on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, securities law and general corporate matters. He has served the firm through various key leadership duties, including leading the legacy corporate practice, opening the legacy Bryan Cave London office, serving on the legacy Executive Committee and Operating Group, and serving as Firm Chair from 2004-2014.