Louis "Lou" Brand, AAF, former president of the John Henry Company, died April 18. He was 84 years old.

Louis Brand, AAF.

Born April 25, 1922, in Grand Rapids, Mich., Brand entered Michigan State College on a football scholarship. He left the school in 1941 to join the Army's 10th mountain division as a ski trooper during World War II. After earning a silver star and two bronze stars for his service, Brand returned to Michigan State to finish his studies, demonstrating a sense of commitment, even at a young age, that would be a pattern throughout his life and career, friends say.

"When he made up his mind about something, he would always go ahead and do it," says Bob Shockey, director of product management/development at John Henry. 

Brand joined John Henry in 1948 as the company's first art director. Earning that post required both tenacity and humility: initially, the company told Brand they couldn't afford to hire him.

"[Brand] said, 'Oh, yes you can -- because I am going to work for free until you really can afford it,'" Shockey says.

Brand rose rapidly through the company; he became its president in 1972 and chairman of the board in 1998. He retired in 2005, leaving behind a hands-on reputation.

"He was very people-oriented," Shockey says. "It was said he knew everyone in the building."

Brand was a member of SAF and sat on SAF's former American Floral Marketing Council. He is survived by his wife, Marina; sister Catherine Blain; son James Brand; daughter Merrilee Brand; stepson Mick A. Nylander; brothers-in-law Hector and Manuel Chiunti; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
 

Donations to the Lou Brand Scholarship can be sent to:
The Lou Brand Scholarship Fund
c/o John Henry Company
5800 W. Grand River Ave.
Lansing, MI 48906

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

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