Forty Under 40: Matt Brown
by January 1, 2005 12:00 am 1,048 views
A former high-tech guru turned real estate developer, Matt Brown braved a trifecta of changes at age 30 when he started a family, moved to Arkansas and embarked on a totally new career.
All three have suited him well.
Brown, now 32, is the point man on a 560-acre development west of Interstate 540 that he hopes will include a multi-purpose arena and a minor league baseball team.
A Tampa, Fla., native, Brown graduated in 1996 from Georgia Tech University with a degree in electrical engineering.
He took a job with telecom firm Alcatel USA in Dallas. In 1999, Brown joined startup switching company Santera Systems where he spent four years as a senior engineer.
When that firm sold, he was ready for a change.
Brown’s father-in-law Gary George, CEO of George’s Inc. in Springdale, approached him about joining the poultry firm and helping manage some of its real estate. Most of the land sat idle for decades, and George wanted to explore development.
Brown first tackled the 40th Street project an apartment complex and Lowe’s shopping center that will eventually include a permanent Legacy National Bank branch and a restaurant.