Ronald Harmon Brown

1997 Honoree

Ronald Harmon Brown, the late and lamented, secretary of commerce was a super achiever. God gave him unique abilities and his parents provided opportunities that prepared him to overcome challenges.

These challenges included graduating from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1962, serving as an army officer in West Germany and Korea, studying law at St, John University in New York City while working as a welfare case worker and later as a lobbyist for the National Urban League in Washington, D.C.

One exceptional achievement occurred when Brown became partner in the prestigious law firm of Patton, Boggs, and Blow, He was the deputy campaign manager for Senator Edward Kennedy during his bid for the presidential nomination, Brown also served as chief counsel for the U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee, deputy chairman and chief counsel for the Democratic National Party, and in 1988, he managed the Rev. Jesse Jackson's campaign when he sought the presidential nomination.

Brown won national recognition when he overcame tremendous odds to become chairman of the Democratic National Party. As chairman, he used his insight, negotiation and organizational skills to unite a seriously divided party. This strong man reduced differences within the party by managing change, raising funds and launching a winning campaign that elected William Clinton, President. A grateful President Clinton appointed him to the cabinet post of secretary of commerce.

As head of this department, he transformed it into a force for creating jobs and increasing the sale of American products around the world. Brown believed that diversity was America's strength and included minority corporations in these efforts for the first time, These aggressive efforts on behalf of American business won approval from American corporations.

Ronald Harmon Brown was a man of strong convictions and never allowed others to define him. He was an American who believed that it was a privilege to be black and that one achieved goals by applying intelligence, preparation and persistence to the effort. Brown's personal philosophy can be summed up in his own words, "if you remain serious about your work, but keep your ego and sense of self in perspective, the future will take care of itself."