JOHN BROWN (Mr. Brown)

TEACHER, MENTOR, AND FOUNDER

After finishing high school, founder John Brown  went into the workforce for three years, working jobs that he did not like. It was not until he began working at Lowe’s wood yard department that his dad said, “Son, you need to take a trade.” John headed to the Richmond Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc. (OIC), where they taught housing construction and rehabilitation.

OIC is an urban program in the Richmond, Virginia community that helps neighborhood children learn hands-on workplace readiness skills to prepare them for the future. Once John completed the program, doors began opening in the building trade industry. He seized the opportunity and walked into strong career.

For twenty years, he has worked in the building trade arena from carpentry to construction. He has acquired certifications from building trade to contract management and owning a business. His experience also includes ten years of teaching carpentry in the public education setting.