AT THE GARDEN — Senior staff

As vice president of facilities and planning, Bill Brown oversees all physical plant operations for the Chicago Botanic Garden's 385-acre, 20-building campus. In addition to directing staff and overseeing infrastructure repair, maintenance and cleaning, he manages architectural and landscape design planning for all capital projects, including buildings and gardens. Over the last twelve years, he has overseen more than $100 million in construction projects.

Prior to joining the Garden in 1995, Mr. Brown served as director of buildings and grounds at the Lincoln Park Zoological Society in Chicago. There, he managed physical plant activities and landscaping, and participated in architectural planning for all capital construction projects. Mr. Brown also developed a volunteer gardening program for the Lincoln Park Zoo that expanded from 15 to more than 100 volunteers in three years.

Mr. Brown's career has also included service with Allstate Insurance Company, as principal coordinator for a multimillion-dollar renovation of a 400,000-square-foot office complex, as well as with Northwestern University, where he revitalized a failed service unit, reducing expenses and generating profits after four years of deficits.