Nancy Patrick serves as senior executive administrator in USA Lacrosse’s Office of the President & CEO. In this role over the past 20 years, she has served as one of the primary staff liaisons with the organization’s board of directors.
Last Friday afternoon, I received news that Craig Brown, past chair of the US(A) Lacrosse Board of Directors, had passed away earlier in the day. Craig was 72 years old.
Craig had a lifelong passion for lacrosse that began as a player at Longmeadow (Mass). High School and continued as a collegiate player at Dartmouth. That passion remained strong throughout his life and manifested in the multiple roles he served to help grow and support the game, including many years as a high school and college official and assignor, as well as service as a youth lacrosse coach.
After graduating from Georgetown University’s Law School in 1977, Craig joined the Massachusetts-based law firm of Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, where he practiced business law for 47 years and was involved in a number of the largest real estate development projects in Western Massachusetts. One of those projects included representation of the Basketball Hall of Fame in connection with its Springfield riverfront project.
Craig was also an adjunct faculty member at Western New England College of Law, and he provided pro bono counsel to a variety of non-profit organizations, including Springfield School Volunteers, the Springfield Urban League, MassHire Workforce Board of Hampden County, and USA Lacrosse.
Craig joined USA Lacrosse in 2000 (US Lacrosse at the time) as board counsel and served in that capacity until 2004. He then served as vice chair, chair and past chair over a period of six years. Twice, USAL staff selected Craig as our director of the year. His impact on our organization and the lacrosse community was immense.
A partial list of the initiatives and accomplishments that he spearheaded included the formation of Western Mass Lacrosse, one of the regional chapters of USA Lacrosse; moderating and negotiating a four-year deal between men’s college officials and the USILA; providing critical direction and input on a U.S. Men’s National Team player agreement; leading the review and revision of USL’s bylaws; leading the USL Mission Critical Properties review; and restructuring the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame’s nominating committee procedures.
“He was the right person at the right time for our organization and really helped to give us both legitimacy and relevancy in our formative years,” said Josh Christian, major gifts officer for the USA Lacrosse Foundation. “His work was impeccable, and his outstanding character and integrity simply bled into his work. He was just a fine gentleman and servant leader.”
In my role, I had the honor to work closely with Craig. His humility and integrity were foremost, and his service to the game was inspiring. Craig had the ability as board chair to listen to 30 minutes of discussion on one topic, then summarize it appropriately in two minutes. Those in the room just nodded their heads. I often wondered if they were as incredulous as I was at Craig’s talents.
People listened, really listened, when Craig spoke. His strategic mind, impartial nature, sense of humor, and inclusiveness resonated. Many sought his counsel for an array of issues and Craig succeeded in resolving them.
Steve Stenersen, who served as our organization’s president and CEO from 1998 until 2021, was effusive in his praise of Craig.
“I’ve had the good fortune to work with some wonderful people in the sport, but none more humble, selfless or supportive than Craig. While USA Lacrosse benefited greatly from his brilliant legal mind, he was also a gifted diplomat who always found a way to lead a variety of perspectives to common ground. We shared a wonderful working relationship, and he was always there for me regardless of circumstance with sound advice and a reassuring word.”
Beyond all his professional and personal accomplishments, abundant as they were, Craig was a dedicated family man, who shared with me earlier this year that nothing pleased him more than spending time with his wife of 50 years, Denise, their three sons and their spouses, and their grandchildren. We join them in mourning Craig’s passing. He truly was a special person.
