Chris Brown was born in Grand Rapids, attended Holy Spirit, West Catholic, Grand Valley, and Michigan State, then came home to quietly become one of the more civic-minded young professionals in his hometown. The fun-loving lawyer gets serious about the value of diversity, flexibility on the job, and the leadership challenge facing his generation.
You returned to Grand Rapids after completing your studies at Michigan State University, a time when many graduates head for the big cities. What motivated you to start your career here?
Honestly, Grand Rapids is and always will be my home. It's a special place for me to live and work, but I want to make sure it's a special place for everyone to live and work. I want to part of making the city a more vibrant place.
As a father of three, what does Grand Rapids need to look like in the future to be a place that your kids would want to return after college?
I would love for the city to maintain its family-friendly feel while becoming a more dynamic place to live. One of our priorities as parents is to expose our kids to many different things, whether it's people, food, culture, ideas, whatever. It's in our interest as a city and region to be much more inclusive.The situation is improving to a certain extent through the work of community organization like the Multiracial Association of Professionals. But change doesn't happen overnight.
Why not? Thought leaders tell us that diversity might be the single most important common denominator of successful regions today. Shouldn’t we approach the issue with some urgency?
People are naturally hesitant to change. That's human nature. But I don’t get the feeling that people here have their heels dug in so much that it's impossible for the culture to change for the better.
How do you suggest we speed up the process?
The more we can attract different people to the area, and retain them, the more that's going to change. For example, we're seeing an influx of younger people into the city as schools like Grand Valley and Michigan State move downtown. That ultimately helps to make us a more inclusive, open-minded people.
What's happening in the city today that most encourages you?
The ability to continue building, investing, and attracting new people in Grand Rapids at a time when Michigan as a whole faces some significant economic issues. We've got our problems, too. But we're also proving we have the talent and the resources to make this a family friendly place that welcomes both young people and professionals. There's an attitude here that's all about rolling up your sleeves and making it happen. You don’t necessarily find that everywhere you go.
Why is community service so important? You’re a member of numerous professional organizations and volunteer for seemingly everything from the John Ball Zoo Advisory Board to the Kent County Sheriff’s Victim Services Unit.
I didn’t come from the best background. And I owe a lot to the people in my life – my mom who single-handedly raised me and my brother, my teachers, mentors, and others – who helped me become who I am. So, in recognition of where I am today, I want to give back to the community to the extent that I can. I also want to set an example for my kids so they understand the importance of getting involved and making a positive change, no matter how small.
You recently joined Miller Johnson. What do thirty something professionals want in a workplace?
Flexibility. A misunderstanding about my generation is that we don’t want to work hard and just spend time having fun with family and friends. I want to excel in my profession. I want to work hard and be part of the team. But I don’t want to sacrifice my life to reach those goals. I think the successful employers and businesses today are willing to think outside the box about how they enable their workers to balance life at work and home.
You're helping to raise money for the new Michigan State University med school by soliciting donations from local alumni. How's the campaign going?
The MSU Alumni Club of West Michigan committed to raise $250,000 and we're more than halfway there. We're approaching the people who aren’t necessarily on the big donor list who want to be a part of this unique opportunity. We hope to hit our goal by April 21 when they break ground on the building.
Do you plan to run for public office? You graduated from both the Michigan Public Leadership Program, an effort to recruit and train future policy leaders, and Leadership Grand Rapids.
There was a time back in school when I was really excited about breaking into that scene. But the more I got involved, the more I felt like I could do more change outside of the political arena than I could inside. But I still wanted to understand the behind-the-scenes political process so I could best advance the causes I believe in. That's what MPLP taught me. It's an amazing learning experience and leadership development program that helped me build on what I learned in Leadership Grand Rapids.
We seem to be experiencing an evolution in leadership from one generation to the next at both the local and national level. What, in your opinion, is the leadership challenge facing Generation X?
I think our generation is the first to really recognize and embrace the importance of, and need for, diversity as it relates to people, ideas, and the economy. One of our major challenges is to continue moving that perspective forward in a changing world. We're not going to grow as organizations, businesses, cities, regions, or a nation if all we do is hang around with people who look and think alike.
This interview was conducted, condensed, and edited by Andy Guy, Rapid Growth's managing editor. Andy, a Grand Rapids resident, also serves as a project director at the Michigan Land Use Institute and blogs at Great Lakes Guy.
Photographs of Chris Brown by Brian Kelly - All Rights Reserved