CEA Black History Month Feature: Jim Brown

CEA celebrates Clevelanders that have made historical achievements to the construction industry.

In Cleveland’s construction industry, Jim Brown’s name is synonymous with safety. A pioneer, a mentor, a friend, a leader in his community and a nationally recognized professional, Brown is considered a legend among his peers for his lifetime record of contributions to the construction industry. 

Brown trained and befriended thousands in this region while providing OSHA training and safety instruction for hundreds of CEA contractors in northeast Ohio. He also became known throughout the country as a ‘go to” guy on safety training for his invaluable instruction to thousands of union construction tradespeople.  

His career, at first, seemed defined by thirty-one years of work for Ruhlin Construction. Starting at the bottom, Jim worked his way through numerous positions including foreman and yard superintendent then eventually to safety superintendent. He embodied this position, becoming a trainer, investigator, author, innovator, and administrator of all things safety related.

One job, it seems, was never enough for Brown. During his time at Ruhlin, he graduated from Ohio Law Enforcement Training Academy and became a Special Deputy Sheriff for Summit County. 

Among his honors, the All-Ohio American Society of Safety Engineers [ASSE] named him 1993 Safety Professional of the Year. He was also elected president of both local and Ohio chapters of ASSE. At CEA’s Centennial Celebration in 2016, Brown was awarded with the Distinguished Service Award. This award is for individuals who have a minimum of twenty years of service to the construction industry and contributed significantly towards the stated goals and purposes of the Construction Employers Association.

As he started teaching safety courses, doing safe site visits for many contractors, attending OSHA informals with contractors and most of all building relationships through his involvement with contractors, Mr. Brown single-handedly built CEA’s Safety Department. In his 35-year career with CEA, his work ethic, instruction and professionalism enhanced both the value of CEA membership and our regional and national reputation as an organization devoted to the safety, education, and wellbeing of its members and union workers. 

Jim Brown was legendary for his embodiment of all the things that construction professionals are prized for representing: dedication, consistency, expertise, integrity, dedication, dependability. And, he was a joy to be around. Mr. Brown passed away in 2017 and a scholarship was established in his name in 2019.