Dean Phillips’s life did not begin as many expect. His birth father, Artie Pfefer, was killed in Vietnam when Dean was just six months old. Two years later, his mother DeeDee married Eddie Phillips, who adopted Dean and both nurtured and mentored him until his
untimely passing in 2011. Dean attended elementary school in Edina and grew up playing hockey and wading in Nine Mile Creek. After graduating college, Dean worked his way up at the family business, eventually becoming CEO of Phillips Distilling Company. He later left to help turn Talenti Gelato into the best-selling gelato brand, and now co-owns and operates Penny’s Coffee, a small business where they voluntarily pay their employees a livable wage. Dean has two daughters, Daniela (19) and Pia (17) and a new dog named Henry. He is running for Congress to bring inclusive, responsible and independent-minded leadership back to Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District.