Craig T. Brown, the new executive director of Community Connections, has a resume that’s eight pages long. It goes back to 1980 and includes variety of upper-management positions across Canada, in the Carribean and the Middle East.
He has an MBA from McMaster University and worked for the Hospital of Sick Children in Toronto, the Nova Scotia Hospital in Dartmouth, ran the Cayman Islands health authority and helped the University of Calgary set up a campus in Doha, Qatar, amongst other jobs.
So, what is he doing in Revelstoke?
“This is my last move at this point in my career,” he said in an interview at Community Connections last week. “What I liked about Community Connections is in many ways it mirrors my philosophy. This organization is a conglomeration of many programs all under one roof. That is the most effective and efficient way to deliver those kinds of programs.”
Brown started in his new post at the start of the month. He replaced Gayle Morgan, who stepped down earlier this year for personal reasons.
Brown’s office was still rather sparse when I visited him. His photos had yet to show up. He’d spent his first two weeks on the job reading manuals, learning about the various programs offered by Community Connections and meeting with the staff.
“I’m still learning in terms of the scope because we’re in a lot of programs, a lot of areas,” he said.
Brown comes to Revelstoke having worked in management roles across Canada, starting in Ontario, then Nova Scotia, followed by the move to Alberta – with a year in the Cayman Islands and two years in Qatar for good measure. He’s worked for hospitals, universities, health authorities and government social service agencies.
“I think I’m able to bring to the organization that varied experience in different cultures, different structures, different organizations,” he said.
He sees his role at Community Connections as helping the various managers and employees do their job the best they can.
“I’ve always seen my role in any organization is more to serve as catalyst for the organization,” he said.
While he’s still learning about the various services Community Connections provides, one goal he did mention is to move away from the ad hoc funding the organization currently receives to more consistent funding. “I think we need to push with all of our funders to get more permanent-type funding, more leveled funding, instead of the variability that takes place.”
When he’s not working, Brown said he enjoys doing home renovations, wood working and cooking. He moved here with his wife Gloria and their four adopted sons who are scattered across the country.