Background
Brown was born in Washington, District of Columbia
Brown was born in Washington, District of Columbia
He attended the College of William and Mary and earned a bachelor"s degree in history from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.
He earned a master of public administration degree from Western Michigan University. Before holding elective office, Brown was vice president, marketing for Freeman Manufacturing Company, an orthopedic soft goods manufacturer headquartered in Sturgis, Michigan. He was with the company 18 years.
In 1998, he was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives from the 59th District and re-elected to a second term in 2000.
Brown was elected to the Michigan Senate from the 16th district in 2002 and 2006. The state"s term limits prohibited him from seeking re-election in 2010.
In 2010, Brown sought the Republican nomination for secretary of state, losing narrowly to Ruth Johnson.
Brown served five terms as a member of the Saint Joseph County Board of Commissioners and was elected board chairman three times. From 1981 to 1986, he was a member of the City of Sturgis City Commission.
