 Don Brewer |
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Many people have been called persistent – but how many do you know who have been called persistent by John DeLorean, designer of the Pontiac GTO and the ‘time machine' from the “Back to the Future” movies? Don Brewer was, when he worked with DeLorean through the National Alliance of Businessmen in the 1970s. Many people have been called persistent – but how many do you know who have been called persistent by John DeLorean, designer of the Pontiac GTO and the ‘time machine' from the “Back to the Future” movies? Don Brewer was, when he worked with DeLorean through the National Alliance of Businessmen in the 1970s. The organization was started by President Lyndon Johnson with the intent of helping underemployed people, including veterans, find good jobs. Brewer was a regional chairman when he lived in Stockton and called on DeLorean, the organization's president, to speak at a luncheon to encourage the City to continue funding the program.
“I hounded him until he gave me a date he could attend, but he called two days before and said he couldn't make it,” said Brewer. “When I asked why, he said if I could get him from San Francisco to Stockton and back in an afternoon, he would come. I called the commander of the Army Depot in Stockton and told him I needed to borrow a helicopter. He was confused but when I explained what it was for, he said 'you got it.' It was a successful event and a lot of fun to be involved with that group.”
Brewer started at Sac State as an accounting major but graduated with a degree in marketing. He attended school part-time while working as an assistant buyer at Weinstock's. After graduation, he became a store manager at a Stockton store, then moved to Oregon and bought a department store. He ran the store for many years before returning to Stockton and becoming a manager at Macy's, then moving to work at Macy's stores in Sacramento. He now does business development at his son's mortgage business.
“I spent six years at Sac State and it was a wonderful time for me,” said Brewer. “I became friends with several instructors and took some great courses that were of tremendous help to me through the years.”
Brewer lives in Roseville and is married with four children and four grandchildren. He serves on the Roseville Planning Commission, is a member of the Roseville Chamber of Commerce and has taught marketing classes at Sierra College for almost 20 years. He also volunteers two days a month at the Sierra College Small Business Development Center, counseling people on buying and selling businesses and how to run a small business.
If you've moved into a home in Placer County in the past 13 years, Sharon (Bull) Brown may have been one of the first people you met in your new neighborhood. Why? Because Sharon specializes in welcoming new residents to the County through her company, Bright Beginnings.
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 Sharon Brown |
According to Brown, her “bright beginning” was at Sac State. After spending her childhood moving around the country and the world while her father was in the Air Force, Brown settled in Sacramento for her college education. And though she moved throughout California following graduation, the Sacramento region and Sac State in particular have always felt like home to her.
“Sac State was really the launching point for me, the fulcrum from which I'm still springing to other things,” said Brown. “My time at Sac State opened doors in my career, allowed me to hone my musical skills and introduced me to so many great people. I love bumping into old friends and reconnecting – I even rediscovered my college roommate at an event in Placer County!”
Brown transferred to Sac State from Napa Junior College and earned a degree in social science with a concentration in history. She played string bass in both the orchestra and stage-band, and helped put herself through college by playing in a dance band. She also worked part-time at Sears during college, which led to acceptance into the Sears management training program after graduation in 1970. Brown was a management executive working at various retail chain stores across California, including Sears, JCPenney and Macy's. After ‘retiring' from retail, she worked for a welcoming service in Orange County and decided to start her own welcoming service when she moved to Placer County in 1994.
“My experience at Sac State was particularly meaningful because my father had retired and no more moves were planned, which meant Sacramento was home – permanently,” said Brown. “My one regret at Sac State was not taking at least one business class, which would have been really helpful when starting my business!”
Brown, who lives in Rocklin, has served on the Board of Directors for the Rocklin and Roseville Chambers of Commerce and currently serves on the Boards for Roseville Arts! and the Placer SPCA. Her business has garnered many awards including "Home Based Business of the Year" in 2003 and Rocklin's "Business of the Year" in 2004. She has attended most of the 34 years of the Jazz Jubilee and enjoys bicycling on the American River Bike Trail. |
