Community & Economic Development

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State University (SDSU) educator Harold Brown has been presented with the International Economic Development Council’s Richard Preston Award for his role in advancing community development. 

This prestigious award honors excellence in continuing education for the economic development practitioner.  Brown has devoted the last 10 years to the creation and advancement of the Center for Community Economic Development (CED) in the School of Business Administration at SDSU, culminating a lifetime of working to improve economic opportunities for low-income communities.

Serving as Associate Dean and Director of Community Economic Development, Brown developed CED as a certificate program, teaching skills in business, economics and the management of community organizations.  In just a few short years, the CED program has become recognized for supplying neighborhoods and communities with the leadership needed for their development.  The program is now advancing to become a graduate degree in the College of Business Administration.

CED coursework includes studies in community outreach and leadership, economic development, and concepts of organizational management.  In addition, each student is required to develop a community-based project and attend special topic seminars.  Roughly 25 students graduate each year from the eight-month certificate course.

The City of San Diego recognizes the CED program’s role as a catalyst for furthering community development.  Many graduates of the program are employees of the City’s Community and Economic Development Department, and, in turn, department members contribute their time and energy by serving as lecturers.  Additionally, completed program projects have ranged from establishing a micro-loan program for small businesses to creating a transportation service designed to assist CalWORKs and Welfare-To-Work recipients meet their transportation needs.

As a member of the International Economic Development Council, the City of San Diego's Community and Economic Development Department nominated Brown for the award.  According to Department Director Hank Cunningham, "Hal's program at SDSU has been an increasingly valuable resource for San Diego's community-based nonprofits and other organizations involved in revitalizing our older neighborhoods.  It's really great to see Hal's quiet advocacy recognized by such a prestigious organization."

Brown has been an employee of the University since 1971.  Prior to joining SDSU, he was a schoolteacher for the San Diego Unified School District, Deputy Director of the U.S. Peace Corp. in Lesotho, Africa, Executive Vice President with McKissick Enterprises in New York City, and a Commercial Loan Officer with Marine Midland Bank of New York.  He has been recognized for his outstanding service to the San Diego community both in and outside of his responsibilities at SDSU.  In 1992, Brown was named the Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year for the United States by the U.S. Small Business Administration, and in 1996, CED received the International Learning Resources Network Award in the “Community Service” category from LERN, the leading international association in class programming.