The 2023 Pacific Pharmacy Alumni Association Alumnus of the Year’s journey into the field of pharmacy was somewhat accidental. In 1985, Lawrence “LB” Brown ’99, PharmD, PhD, FAPhA joined the U.S. Air Force with the intention of becoming an air traffic controller. Based on his test scores, the recruiter encouraged him to consider a career in one of four health care fields. Making a spur-of-the-moment decision, he chose to become a pharmacy technician.

Following his time in the Air Force, which included a recall to active-duty service for Operation Desert Storm, Dr. Brown joined Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy Operations in Livermore. He played a crucial role in implementing a new computer system at Kaiser pharmacies across Northern California. Along the way, he met several Pacific alumni pharmacists and was inspired by their commitment to community pharmacy, which led him to apply to only one school — the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy.

At Pacific, Dr. Brown fully immersed himself in his studies and took on several leadership roles, including class president and president of Pacific’s American Pharmacists Association–Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) chapter. He also served on the National Executive Board as speaker of the house for APhA-ASP.

Dr. Brown actively engages with the profession through his involvement in professional organizations. He has served the American Pharmacists Association as president, trustee and speaker of the house, and in 2012, he was recognized as a fellow. A Kappa Psi brother, he has served as the fraternity’s grand regent. He attributes his commitment to leadership to his military training as well as the invaluable mentorship provided by the faculty at Pacific and other pharmacists from across the United States.

After earning a doctor of philosophy in pharmacoeconomics and health policy from University of Minnesota, Dr. Brown embarked on a career in academia by joining faculty at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. He firmly believes that by educating future pharmacists, one can make a lasting impact on the thousands of patients they will encounter throughout their careers.

“I love working with students and I love the pharmacy profession. I wanted to devote my career to helping pharmacists learn how to give better care to patients and academia is obviously the best place for that,” Dr. Brown said.

In 2013, Dr. Brown was recruited to help start the School of Pharmacy at Chapman University as the associate dean of student affairs. After six years in that role, he was asked to serve a three-year term as vice provost of academic administration for the university. Currently, Dr. Brown serves as professor and associate dean of undergraduate pharmacy programs and partnerships at Chapman University School of Pharmacy, where he runs the 2+3 Accelerated Pre-Pharmacy Experience program.

Dr. Brown is also deeply committed to international pharmacy. Over the past 20 years, he has traveled to Hungary each October to present at the Hungarian Independent Pharmacists Association meeting. In 2001, the association awarded him the Medallion of the Association in recognition of his contributions to advancing the role of pharmacists in Hungary. Additionally, Dr. Brown has provided Medication Therapy Management training in South Africa, Sweden and the Philippines.

Receiving the Alumni of the Year recognition is a tremendous honor for Dr. Brown. He acknowledges that his success is owed, in large part, to the support and guidance of influential faculty members such as Ralph L. Saroyan ’64, RPh and Donald G. Floriddia ’71, PhD.

“I would not have achieved what I have if not for their support,” Dr. Brown said. “To have the school that I believe in so much provide me with an award that demonstrates how much they believe in me is wonderful indeed.”