Peter Brown

Member-at-Large

Peter was general manager, then president and owner of Brown Pontiac Olds Inc., later Brown Pontiac Buick Olds Suzuki, from 1985 - 2006. During that time he also owned Saco National Car Rental which he sold in 1991. In 1991 he added Suzuki to his holdings and in 2000 added Buick. The company employed between 26 and 54 employees over the years and was involved in many community based projects. Peter was a key contributor in the successful establishment of the Northern York County Family YMCA in 1987. In the late 80’s he sponsored several successful fund raising events at his company raising over $90,000 for the American Cancer Society. He served on the board of directors, as well as president, of R.E.A.C.H., a community compact developed to mentor at-risk 8th grade students in the greater Biddeford Saco region. He also served on the boards of the Biddeford Saco Chamber of Commerce and Biddeford Saco Rotary Club, where he was also a member for 17 years. Peter was a contributing member of Saco Spirit, a Main Street Maine Downtown revitalization initiative through the Maine Development Foundation.

In 2006 he sold the Brown dealership and pursued his interest in wilderness education. Earning certification as a rock climbing instructor through American Mountain Guides Association, Peter instructed and led guided rock climbing trips for private clients, groups, and college outing clubs in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York for 2 years through his business Vertical Horizons.

In 2008, Peter enrolled at the University of Southern Maine’s School of Business and was instrumental in inspiring the school to launch a specific degree track in sustainable business in which he was also the first enrollee. He will graduate with a BS in spring, 2010 and is pursuing career opportunities with Maine businesses that strive to improve the health and financial performance of their operations through building stronger communities and environmental stewardship.