Columbia Union ASI Welcomes New President

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Mark Brown, a member of Allegheny East Conference’s New Life church in Gaithersburg, Md., recently started his new role as president of the Columbia Union Adventist-laymen’s Services & Industries (CUASI). He served as CUASI general vice president from April 2017 to August 5, 2018, when the board voted him in as president.

Brown, who joined CUASI in 2014, retired from the federal government after 38 years of service, and runs a small IT consulting firm and is president of 3 Brown Boys Granola.

Brown says involving young professionals is a top ASI goal and plans to hold young professional meet-ups and to include them in executive leadership roles.

He also hopes that through ASI, members will foster a culture of and focus on evangelism wherever they have been placed. “If everyone would embrace this, we’d spread the gospel much faster.”

Brown follows Emanuel Pelote, who served as CUASI president since 2013. Pelote recently moved to Kenya to serve as assistant to the president of the East-Central Africa Division.