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Recognizing and Honoring Lynette Brown-Sow on the occasion of her retirement for her committed service to Community College of Philadelphia and for her many accomplishments that have benefitted the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Lynette Brown-Sow graduated from West Philadelphia High School in 1968. She received a Bachelor of Science in Administration from Antioch University in 1979 and a M.S.S. in Policy, Planning and Development from Bryn Mawr College in 1981; and
WHEREAS, In 1980, she founded L.M. Brown Management Group, a certified minority/female-owned consulting firm that provides professional services to corporations, non-profits, and governmental entities; and
WHEREAS, Her expertise in organizational development, board governance, marketing and crisis communications has made her a highly-sought after board member. She currently serves on the boards of numerous organizations including the Philadelphia Tribune Co. Inc.; Hahnemann University Hospital; NHS Enterprises, Inc.; and The Board of City Trusts of where she serves Girard College via her committee assignment. She is a member of the Forum of Executive Women and convener of the Forum for a Better Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, She served as Chair of the Board of Directors of The Consortium, a behavioral health-care organization that pioneered the strategy of balancing the input of community leaders and medical experts. In 2007, the Consortium named its newest service center the Lynette M. Brown Center of Hope; and
WHEREAS, Brown-Sow has served Community College of Philadelphia as a consultant, program director and as Vice President of Marketing and Government Relations, for more than 25 years. As a member of the President’s Cabinet at the College, Brown-Sow oversaw advertising, public relations, creative services, publications, special events, and government and community relations for the College; and
WHEREAS, She developed and strengthened partnerships nationally and locally; working with the American Association of Community Colleges and the White House to support free-tuition programs at community colleges, and to sustain funding for Pell Grants; and
WHEREAS, Brown-Sow has also lent her knowledge to those in government. She helped with the transition teams for both Mayor Edward Rendell and Michael Nutter. She was later appointed as Deputy Mayor of Administration for the Rendell Administration. She also chaired the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment during a city-wide code change. In 2012, she was nominated by Mayor Nutter and was approved by City Council to become the Commissioner and Board Chair of the Philadelphia Housing Authority; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf appointed Brown-Sow to the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board, which works with state educational policies to build a strong workforce development system. She has served as a member since 2015; and
WHEREAS, Brown-Sow has received numerous honors, awards and recognitions, including the Sammy Award for Outstanding Community Service by the Laborers International Union of North America; Communicator of the Year by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (2009); and the Energy for the Community Award from PECO. She was recognized by her peers as one of 100 Distinguished Alumni at Bryn Mawr College; and named, for five consecutive years, one of the City’s most influential Philadelphians by the Philadelphia Tribune; and
WHEREAS, Lynette Brown-Sow is a life-long Philadelphian, and has worked in both the public and private sectors throughout her long and fruitful career. She has dedicated her talents to the service of others and we thank her for the time and energy she has devoted to help our City; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes and honors Lynette Brown-Sow on the occasion of her retirement for her committed service to Community College of Philadelphia and for her many accomplishments that have benefitted the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Ms. Brown-Sow as a sincere expression of the Council of the City of Philadelphia’s gratitude, admiration and recognition.
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