Richard (Ric) D. Brown
Mr. Brown is a native of Arlington County, Virginia. He received a B.A. Degree in Economics from the College of William and Mary and a Masters of Commerce Degree from the University of Richmond.
Mr. Brown entered state service in 1971 as an Economist with the Division of State Planning and Community Affairs. While employed by this agency, he served as staff to numerous legislative and executive study commissions including: the Revenue Resources and Economic Study Commission, the National and Dulles Airports Acquisition Study Commission, and Governor Holton’s Task Force on Financing the Standards of Quality in Public Education.
In 1976, Mr. Brown moved to the newly created Department of Planning and Budget. Initially, he was employed as a Policy Analyst dealing with educational matters. He later transferred to the Research Section where he focused his attention on special studies relating to state/local issues and taxation.
Mr. Brown was promoted in 1986 to budget manager for the Commerce and Resources Section within the Department of Planning and Budget. In this capacity, he coordinated the development of the Governor’s budget recommendations to the General Assembly for the Economic Development and Natural Resources’ agencies.
In 1987, Mr. Brown took over the managerial duties of Budget Operations; and in 1990 he was promoted to the position of Deputy Director for Budgeting within the Department of Planning and Budget. On June 1, 2001, Governor Gilmore appointed him as Acting Director of the Department of Planning and Budget. He was subsequently reappointed as Director by Governors Warner and Kaine. He was responsible for both external (other agency) and internal (within DPB) budget development and execution procedures as well as for the development and publication of the Governor’s Budget Bill and Budget Document.
In August 2008, Governor Kaine appointed Mr. Brown as Secretary of Finance, and he was honored once again in January 2010 when newly elected Governor McDonnell reappointed him as Secretary of Finance. As a member of the Governor’s Cabinet, Secretary Brown is responsible for all financial matters of the Commonwealth and oversees the Departments of Planning and Budget, Accounts, Taxation and the State Treasury.
Secretary Brown is a member of the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), and is a former President of NASBO.
Mr. Brown is a three-time past President of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Area Association for Retarded Citizens and currently serves on the Board of that organization.
Two awards that Secretary Brown has received that are worthy of special mention include the Gloria Timmer Award for exceptional achievements and career accomplishments from the National Association of State Budget Officers in 2002 and the Lifetime Public Achievement Award from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs of Virginia Commonwealth University for excellence in Virginia Government in 2005.
