Inger Berg and Jens Bruun were married in Denmark in 1957. They migrated to Canada that same year, but they made their way south to the United States, and finally settled in the city of Bellevue, Washington, in 1961.
They founded the Scan Design furniture chain in the late 1960s, introducing mid-century modern design to the Pacific Northwest.
In 1971, Inger and Jens commenced a long relationship with the American Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) in New York to bring Danish students to Seattle. The trainees would work in the furniture stores, live with Inger and Jens in their home, and experience the American way of life. The first Danish trainee arrived in 1971. Over the next 30 years, Inger and Jens would bring 147 Danish trainees to Seattle.
Jens was passionate about mentoring young Danish immigrants and later established the Scan Design Foundation (SDF) to support Danish-American relations, scientific research, and the arts. After his death in 2002, the foundation grew significantly, funding scholarships for Danish and American students such as the program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that started in 2010, and programs at the University of Washington-Seattle, the University of Oregon-Eugene, and Portland State University. Besides student fellowships, the foundation also funds a variety of art and cultural exhibitions such as the “NWTrolls” installation across the Northwest.
Today, the foundation continues to reflect the Bruuns’ legacy by promoting cultural exchange and sustainability, embodying their vision of bridging Danish and American communities.
