North
Carolina Department of Correction - Correction News - December
1998
DOP Area Administrator James Brown
Retires
REIDSVILLE — More than 100 people gathered
at a Nov. 6 luncheon in Reidsville to honor retiring North
Piedmont Area Administrator James Brown.
 Cody Phillips, James Brown, Boyd Bennett and
David
Osborne (LtoR) share a memory and a smile.
|
Retired Correction Secretary Mack
Jarvis presented Brown the Order of the Long Leaf Pine,
the state’s highest honor for a citizen. Jarvis
saluted Brown as part of the early group of minority
leaders in the agency. "For
those minority employees working with us today, Mr.
Brown, Bob Reese and Herman Bridges helped pave the way
for your careers," Jarvis said. "I’m proud
for what you’ve done for the department and proud to
have known you."
Reese attended the luncheon and offered
his thanks to Brown for helping to organize the first
Minority Pioneer banquet in 1984 which was held in
Reidsville.
Forsyth Correctional Center
Superintendent Zeb Crews presented Brown an award from
the Prison Emergency Response Team 3rd
Battalion. Brown served as its commander. He joined
P.E.R.T. in 1978.
|
Prison Director Dan Stieneke praised Brown for
five attributes: his commitment to family, his respect for
people, his self-investment, his quiet manner and his luck.
In giving an example of Brown’s luck,
Stieneke told of a decision he, Region Director Boyd Bennett and
Brown made to buy Ford Tauruses. At the time, Stieneke and
Bennett both ribbed Brown about buying a used car from H.B.
"Shep" Shepherd when they bought new models. Laughing,
Stieneke said Brown is still driving his car with a quarter
million miles on it, long after he and Bennett had given up on
their cars. Stieneke said working with Brown has been part of the
most enjoyable time of his career.
Brown began his DOC career at Sandy Ridge
Correctional Center where he was eventually promoted to sergeant.
In 1978, he was promoted to lieutenant at Rockingham Correctional
Center. He served as the prison’s assistant superintendent
and later, superintendent. In 1988, he was named district manager
of the North Piedmont Area. Five years later, he was promoted to
area administrator.
In 1996, he was appointed to serve on the
department’s Insurance Advisory Committee. His three- year
term expires April 1, 1999.
Danny Safrit, Brown’s assistant area
administrator, said he hadn’t returned to the restaurant
where he and Brown visited every Monday for pinto bean day.
During the luncheon, Safrit presented Brown with six different
kinds of pinto beans, Brown’s favorite food.
Brown was also presented with a rocking chair
from Superintendent Raymond Smith and the staff at Randolph
Correctional Center who served as hosts of the retirement
luncheon.
NC DOC Homepage
NC DOC
News
NC DOC WEB
Index
E-mail
NC DOC