Most people dream of building a legacy; for Kristen Brown of Brown Builders Inc., that is part of her everyday business. Established in 1971, Brown Builders specializes in constructing facilities for hospitality, healthcare, multi-family, industrial, community and commercial purposes. They are one of the largest general contractors in Louisiana and have executed many projects that are instrumental to communities from Virginia to Texas and Louisiana, including churches, schools, hospitals, government buildings, and much more.

Kristen Brown grew up in the building industry – her grandfather was construction titan James M. Brown, and his business legacy was passed down to her father, B. Wayne Brown. Kristen Brown says, “As a third generation builder, I appreciate the complexity of running a successful construction company. It’s a service industry that actually manufactures something, and every product we produce is unique and custom.”

Brown graduated from Washington and Lee University in Virginia, and earned her law degree from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law School. She returned to focus on the family business, where she worked during high school. Brown has experienced all aspects of the company, from the field, to project management, to estimating, to accounting, to risk management and company management. This comprehensive tour of duty, which gave her a detailed look at the structure and inner-workings of the company, equipped Brown to step into her ultimate role in 2013 – president of Brown Builders. Brown

describes the process as “gradual,” saying, “I have been so blessed to have learned from my grandfather, who was a real pioneer in the local construction industry. I am still honored to have my father as a mentor and advisor. Their wealth of knowledge and experience was and is invaluable to our continued success – we are truly innovating for the future by drawing on the success of the past.”

Brown Builders is in a unique position in the local construction industry thanks to their experience, staff, and bonding capacity, which allows them to execute larger, more complex projects. Brown Builders was recently chosen to be the major local contractor on the new Benteler Steel/ Tube 950,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility under construction at the Port of Shreveport/Bossier, which Brown attributes to their lasting reputation and relationships in the community.

Brown is truly a trailblazer for other women in the construction industry. Under her leadership, Brown Builders became certified as a woman-owned business. Brown served as the first female president of the local AGC (Shreveport Associated General Contractors) chapter in the organization’s 85-year history. The AGC helps to keep local contractors working and encourages businesses to buy local – important both for the industry and for our community.

Brown also holds leadership positions in various organizations throughout Shreveport-Bossier, including the Shreveport Rotary Club and the board of directors for the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. She is active with Volunteers of America and First Baptist Church School. She has three children – Caroline, 13; David, 10; and Andrew, 8. Kristen Brown feels a deep pride in the business of building communities and relationships, and that legacy is mirrored in her family. “There is definitely a sense of pride when I drive through Louisiana and hear my children in the back seat telling their friends, “ ‘My mamma built that.’ It’s truly a field where you make a concrete and lasting difference in a community.”