It’s Board Appreciation Month and we’d like to take this opportunity to highlight one of our board members. We sat down with Jay Brown, our Treasurer, to learn more about his background and what lead him to joining the Four Corners Montessori Academy board and family:
Background:
I’m just a kid from Flint! I was born and raised in the city and am one of four brothers, two older and one younger. I graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Communications and Political Science. I’m married and have a seven-year-old and a year-old daughter, and currently work as chief sales officer for the family company with two of my brothers, The John L. Group. The company was named after our grandfather who mentored and raised us, and our services include supply chain logistics, marketing and strategic communication.
Service in the Community:
I also serve on other boards, those being the Big Brothers Big Sisters in Flint and Genesee County, and the Methodist Children of Homes Society. I ran a campaign called “Just A Kid From Flint” as well, designed to highlight 6 kids from the city that have done tremendous things in their respective areas (sports, politics, philanthropy, etc.). There is value in experiencing other cultures, and I’ve found that you don’t have to leave your community to experience those.
My Why:
Personally I have a huge heart for youth education. I worked a small stint with an afterschool program teaching kindergartners, and the kids won my heart over. I was part of the program for two years and as I saw them advance to 2nd grade, I loved watching their development. I was also approached by Oakland University through their senior director of the City of Detroit, who named me an emergent leader in the Metro Detroit area, which is ultimately how I learned about Four Corners Montessori Academy.
At FCMA, there are a lot of different things that make the school so special. For instance, the Montessori setup, experiential learning, and a grasp for the betterment of the Four Corners community. Kids learn differently as they matriculate through life, and it’s those experiences that you learn the most from outside of something from a book. Students here grow and understand concepts by “doing.”
Above all else, I am looking forward to continuing to serve this amazing school and encourage others to experience the FCMA difference.