Harry Brown
Harry Brown, of Jacksonville, NC, is a business owner with decades of experience in the automobile industry in addition to years in the insurance and real estate businesses. He is the owner of National Automotive Group and was chairman of the North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association.
Public service has helped define Brown's life. He represented the 6th District in the North Carolina Senate from 2005 to 2021 and served as Senate Majority Leader for a decade. During his service he was a key budget writer, and he hopes to share the benefit of his business and government experience to advance higher education in his home state. His proudest accomplishment was representing Jones and Onslow counties, the only places he has lived.
Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in business and Master of Business Administration from Campbell University.
He has served on the NC State University Board of Visitors and has been active in civic affairs. He was chairman of the Jacksonville/Onslow Chamber of Commerce, past chairman of the Jacksonville Breakfast Rotary Club, and past district chairman of the White Oak River District of the Boy Scouts of America. He received the Man of the Year Award from the Jacksonville/Onslow Chamber in 2001. He is an Eagle Scout.
He and his wife Lisa raised three children - Ryan, Kimber and Morgan. Brown enjoys golf and collecting sports cards in his spare time.
His advice to students:
"No matter the job, you have to be the best you can be doing it. Others see it and the opportunities will come from it."
