By Daniel Wilson

November 07, 2024

Ron Brown can often be heard reminding his peers to “be a good human.”

It’s a mantra Brown, president and CEO of West Sacramento-based general contracting firm Brown Construction, embodies in everything he does.

Brown, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management (CM) from Sacramento State in 1986, is the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the University’s Alumni Association. He and five others will be honored at the Distinguished Alumni Awards reception and dinner on Nov. 7.

Brown joined his father’s company in 1988 and bought it from him in 2002. Brown Construction, which was founded in 1964, now is one of the largest employers in Yolo County and among the largest firms in Sacramento. Notable Brown Construction projects include Modoc Hall and American River Courtyard student housing at Sac State, Aggie Stadium at UC Davis, Yolo Food Bank, The Barn in West Sacramento and the Yolo County Library.

“I kind of feel I'm accepting this award for all of us that have been part of it. I enjoy working with students. I enjoy seeing students succeed. It's pretty cool. I've been able to work with a lot of students over the last number of years.” -- Ron Brown

Brown originally wanted to pursue a career in architecture, but as the field moved toward computer technology in the ‘80s, he realized he was more into engineering and construction.

“I've been exposed to construction all my life, so of course that enabled me to be more excited about it,” Brown said. “I wanted to have more of a footprint in construction than just working on the job site, so that's why I got into the CM program at Sac State.”

As someone who enjoys giving back, Brown serves or has served on several boards, such as WellSpace Health, Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange, the Sacramento Construction Management Education Foundation at Sac State, and the Sac State University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Brown also supports several nonprofits, such as the Salvation Army, and Sac State’s Construction Management Student Association and Construction Management Education Foundation.

Brown contributes to Sac State CM students’ education by guest lecturing, offering workshops and internships, and mentoring and coaching students in the Associated Schools of Construction Management annual competition. Sac State’s team has earned more than 85 regional and national academic competition awards.

Brown’s contributions to Sac State’s CM department don’t end there. In 2012, Brown was among those who worked to shift CM from a program in Civil Engineering to an independent academic department, tripling its enrollment.

“I think it's been very successful,” Brown said. “And now the CM department has a few hundred students, and so that's been very rewarding to do, and I got to do it with a group of my peers.”

Brown, who continually works to bridge the gap between academia and industry, was recognized for his work with the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service in 2014.

Brown has given back to the region with Brown Construction’s Build It Forward program, which waives profits on projects that benefit the community, ensuring lower project costs and timely completion. Projects include the West Sac Civic Center, Sacramento Zoo exhibits and portions of Fairytale Town. The company has constructed nearly $54 million in projects under this program since it launched in the late ‘90s.

Brown said he doesn’t feel he deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award because many of his accomplishments came as part of a team.

“I feel a little bit of a poser getting an award for being a piece of something that a whole lot of other people have been involved with,” Brown said. “I kind of feel I'm accepting this award for all of us that have been part of it. I enjoy working with students. I enjoy seeing students succeed. It's pretty cool. I've been able to work with a lot of students over the last number of years.”

For more information about the Distinguished Alumni Awards, visit the Alumni Association web page.