Meet Gary Brown
By Beverly J. Clark, Publicity Director
Meet Gary Brown, a Retiree on the Move. Gary began his career with the City of Los Angeles in 1986 and Retired after 27 years in 2010. His first assignment was with the Airports, Environmental Management Bureau, where he served as an Associate Planner from 1986 to 1990. He served as Environmental Supervisor from 1990 to 1998, and later held the position of Environmental Affairs Officer. In 1998, he was promoted and became responsible for overseeing environmental regulatory compliance for all Airports department facilities, functions, maintenance activities, and operations.
Prior to his service with the City, Gary worked in planning for several other municipalities, including Garden Grove, Lynwood, Inglewood, Burbank, and the County of Los Angeles.
Family
Gary met his wife, Brenda, through a family member, and they have been married for 22 years and have two daughters, Brittani and Makaela. His wife is entrepreneurial, creative and is a social butterfly. He loves that he and his family are remarkably close and engage in positive activities. His youngest daughter, Makaela, plans to attend Spelman College in the fall after graduation from high school.
Hobbies
Gary loves retirement because he is able to pursue some of his hobbies, which include real estate, carpentry, music (piano), visiting family and traveling to places like Spain, Rome and Hawaii. He is also engaged with the Dad’s Auxiliary of The Jack and Jill Foundation of America.
Retirement Recommendations?
- “Enjoy life and embrace free opportunities that bring
happiness.” - “Pursue your travel desires.”
- “Complete your bucket list.”
- “Prioritize health through exercise and nutrition.”
- “Cherish family time and cultivate a happy life.”
Gary’s words of wisdom are to enjoy life; pursue any free opportunities that make you happy; travel if that is your desire; work on completing your bucket list; focus on your health through exercise and nutrition; and most importantly cherish family time and have a happy life.
What was the smartest thing you did to prepare for retirement?
“Having and pursuing a career interest in two different professions was a great growth opportunity for me. As a young man, I developed an interest in real estate. Academically, I studied and followed a career in community development. Working for the City gave me so much exposure through transportation and aviation.”
What do you miss from your time in City service?
“I miss the people I worked with, the people I met and the experiences working at a major transportation facility like the Dept. of Airports.”
As you reflect on your City career, would you have done anything differently?“I initially wanted to go into law; however, I decided to pursue a community development career. Being able to work for a major department and operation like the Dept. of Airports has been a great accomplishment for me.”
Describe how you occupy your time in retirement.
“I have the time to make sure major items on the family agenda are addressed. I also prioritize my time to maintain a productive routine and a healthy balance.”
