Ed Brown, who served as head of Global Corporate & Investment Banking (GCIB) for our company years ago, passed away on April 3. He was 74 years old.
Ed began his career as a credit analyst at North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) in 1972. He held a wide variety of roles throughout his career at the bank and played a key part in leading integration efforts as part of the creation of NationsBank. After the merger of NationsBank and BankAmerica created today’s Bank of America, Ed became president of GCIB in 2000 and remained in that role until he retired from Bank of America in 2004.
A 32-year veteran of the company, Ed was one of former CEO Hugh McColl’s most trusted senior leaders. “He’s one of the smartest men who ever worked at the bank,” Hugh told the Charlotte Business Journal, adding that “whenever we had a difficult financial problem, he was the one I turned to.”
Six years after his retirement, Ed began a new career when he joined Hendrick Automotive, where he served as chief financial officer and then as CEO for nine years.
With his wife, Jan Hall Brown, Ed was an engaged philanthropist and community leader, contributing to many causes in the Charlotte area. He is survived by Jan and his two daughters.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made either to: Edward J. Brown, Jr. Scholarship Fund at Benedictine Military School, 6202 Seawright Drive, Savannah, GA 31406, or Brown Lymphoma Research Fund, PO Box 32861, Charlotte, NC 28232.