Derrick Brown makes seamless Albany finance director transition

ALBANY — A sudden, dramatic change is not going to throw Derrick Brown.

The city of Albany’s interim Finance director was set to become the controller of the local Cooper Tire & Rubber manufacturing plant when Cooper officials stunned the community by announcing they were pulling up stakes and leaving town.

So when the city’s then-CFO JoEllen Brophy announced that she was stepping down from the position as a “priority” measure, Brown stepped into her shoes without missing a beat.

“Yes, it’s a big job, and yes, it involves big numbers,” Brown said of being in charge of the city’s staggering $259 million budget. “But I’m not intimidated. I managed assets of more than $130 million when I was at Cooper. I’m comfortable with numbers; they don’t overwhelm me.”

Brophy had overseen the daunting merger of the city’s finances with the then-Water, Gas & Light Commission’s budget, both coming in at more than $120 million. After months of long nights that saw the city’s finances adjusted to a more corporate structure, Brophy shocked many by announcing on Feb. 10 that she was stepping down to spend more time with her family.

Interim City Manager Tom Berry wasted no time in selecting Brown to manage the city’s Finance department.

“I had no problem naming Derrick to that position,” Berry said. “I’m very satisfied with the job he’s done in our Finance department, and he’s really stepped up to the plate after Jo (Brophy) announced her resignation.”

Born and raised in Albany, Brown was selected as part of Albany State University’s first class of presidential scholars after graduating Monroe High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 1991, but jobs in his field were scarce at the time.

“A classmate of mine who was in the Navy talked me into standing in line with him at the Department of Labor to apply for a job at Cooper,” Brown, 45, said. “It turned out that I got hired, and he re-enlisted. Certainly it was not in my field of expertise, but I had a job. That’s what was important.”

Brown took the blue-collar route, working on the production line at the tire manufacturer for 18 years. He advanced to first-line supervisor within his first year at the Cooper plant, was foreman in three years and became operations manager before making a decision that would impact his future career.

“I’d obtained a master’s degree in Industrial Manufacturing Management at Kettering University (in Flint, Mich.), and in 2006 Cooper posted a job for plant accountant,” Brown said. “I applied, got the position, but, as it turned out, the company soon closed the plant.

“By the time they closed for good, I was the only accountant there. They listed me as ‘interim controller.’”

Brown worked part-time at Albany Technical College for a period, interviewed for a job with the city of Albany that he didn’t get, then started looking at other viable options.

“(Then-city Finance Director) Kris Newton called me out of the blue and asked me if I was still interested in the senior accountant position that I’d applied for,” Brown said. “I had lunch with her and (then-assistant) Ken Dyer, and they offered me the job. I think my experience with Cooper — in accounting and on the production line — served me well.”

Indeed, while he was part of Cooper’s management team, Brown would go in on certain Saturdays each year and work on the production line during all four shifts at the plant.

“I’ve always considered myself more of a blue-collar worker,” he said. “I started (at the plant) building tires, and going back on the assembly line kept me grounded.”

After a year as Albany’s senior accountant, Brown was offered the opportunity to move back into management with the city. He accepted a position as accounting manager, was eventually promoted to interim deputy director of Finances and finally controller. He was a finalist for the CFO position that was awarded to Brophy, and when she stepped down he and Berry agreed that not only would he take over as interim Finance director, the city would abandon the more corporate CFO position and return to a governmental financial structure.

“Like everyone else, I was shocked by Jo’s announcement,” Brown said. “I can’t speak beyond anything that she’s said publicly, but I understand that there are times when you have to make family more of a priority. She and I have different priorities and management styles, but the bottom line is that (the Finance department) has been trusted with managing the city’s assets. That’s a huge responsibility.

“I don’t believe there’s been a big transition for our staff to make. We have an excellent staff here, and there is a buzz of excitement around our department that I love hearing. Everyone’s actively engaged, and that’s what I love best about management. We have a lot of work to do, and we won’t meet our objectives unless we work together.”

Priority No. 1 for Brown and his staff is the Fiscal Year 2016 budget, which must be ready to go by June 30. But the new Finance director said he’s not staying up nights worrying about the process.

“What we have to finish by the end of March is stuff we started working on last year in January,” he said. “But last year, there were only three, two and sometimes only one person working on the budget. I plan to have more of our people involved. I expect there will be eight to 10 people fully engaged in the process.”

Berry said he’s confident the budget process will run smoothly.

“Our Finance folks are on target,” he said. “I’m confident they’ll get a budget draft to the City Commission in May. The commission will use the time (until June 30) to evaluate the budget and make any necessary changes.”

Brown said he and wife Carolyn, whose blended family includes kids Otavia Ward, 31; Kennisha Davis, 24; Tierra Brown, 22; Jaylyn Thomas, 17; and Derrick Brown Jr., 11, are happy in Albany.

“I’m not one who’s always looking for something bigger,” the Finance director said. “If Cooper had never closed, you wouldn’t be talking to me now about this job. I’m excited about this position with the city, excited to be given the opportunity to help manage our community’s assets.

“If things go well, yes, I’d like to be the city’s (permanent) Finance director. I would like for the city of Albany to be my last employer.”