Ernest Brown represents Brown & Momen as one of five principal leads for Lakeside Alliance, builders of the Obama Presidential Center. A longtime advocate of creating an atmosphere of inclusion for minority contractors in Chicago, Ernest hopes the Lakeside Alliance will be a catalyst for eliminating barriers that keep minorities and women out of construction.

Ernest earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture and construction management from the University of Illinois Chicago. He began his career in Washington, D.C., working for one of the first nationally known construction management firms. He soon gained a reputation as one of the foremost experts in construction scheduling. After several years, he returned to Chicago to serve as project administrator for the Downtown State Street Revitalization Project.

In 1987, he founded Brown & Momen, Inc., a Chicago-based firm specializing in construction management, general contracting and owner’s representative services. Brown & Momen has earned numerous industry awards for its involvement in notable projects across the city, including McCormick Place, the O’Hare International Airport Expansion and the Chicago Public Schools Renovation Program.

Ernest is passionate about education and cultivating a renewed interest among today’s youth in the trades. He remains involved with his alma mater, Dunbar Vocational Career Academy on Chicago’s South Side, to restore lost shops, create summer internship opportunities with Brown & Momen, and educate students and families about well-paying careers in the trades.