Sanford Bishop: “history will remember Ron Brown as one of the most dynamic, creative and brilliant leaders to ever serve in a…”

“history will remember Ron Brown as one of the most dynamic, creative and brilliant leaders to ever serve in a Presidential Cabinet. These characteristics stand out strong and clear in the many articles reviewing his career that were published after the plane crash that took his life and the lives of the staff Members and business leaders accompanying him on that fatal trip to the former Yugoslavia. One national magazine, Jet, featured a number of photographs of Ron Brown at work. They showed Ron Brown in China, in Japan, in South Africa, in Egypt, in Saudi Arabia, in Israel, in Gaza, in Russia, in Germany, in Chile, in Indonesia, and in Bosnia, just hours before the crash on the mountain top. He seemed to be everywhere during those few busy years he served as Secretary of Commerce, the first African-American to hold that office, even coming to the Second District of Georgia to deliver the commencement address at Albany State College. In a span of less than 3 years, he made 15 trade missions to more than 25 countries. These trips produced a record 80 billion dollars' worth of new business contracts for U.S. made goods and services. His work in foreign trade led to a 26-percent increase in U.S. exports. But he also worked to enhance minority business enterprise in America and abroad. Vice President Gore called him the greatest Commerce Secretary in history.”