As the Senior Vice President of Industrial Development at Broe Real Estate Group, Dean Brown’s path to this role has been anything but linear. It was shaped by decades of hands-on experience, tough decisions, and a passion for creating long-term, impactful developments.
Broe Real Estate Group, a subsidiary of The Broe Group, founded in 1972, is part of a multi-billion-dollar private investment enterprise with holdings across 41 North American states and provinces. With deep operational insight and a sharp entrepreneurial lens, Broe focuses on the long-term ownership of hard assets - real estate, railroads, infrastructure, and more. Dean’s role today centers on the industrial portfolio across the Western U.S., stretching from California to Indiana.
Dean’s journey began in 1986 as an engineering student at Montana State University. He interned with CBI Na-Con in North Dakota, working on defense infrastructure at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. That internship evolved into a full-time job and led to an assignment in Bakersfield, California, managing the construction of large oil storage tanks. It was there that Dean learned two things: he didn’t love extreme heat, and he wasn’t cut out for heights. Dean left CBI-Na Con and joined a small engineering firm in Bakersfield, where he served as a contract project manager for Mobil Oil, overseeing a massive production and facilities expansion.
In 1996, Dean shifted from oil and gas to industrial development, helping build a regional industrial hub outside Bakersfield. He juggled dual roles—managing a freeway interchange project on I-5 by night while continuing industrial development work by day. This led to his tenure at Tejon Ranch, a 270,000-acre property at the base of the Tehachapi Mountains. Over 18 years, Dean oversaw the design and construction of 3.5 million square feet of industrial space, an outlet mall, commercial facilities, and critical infrastructure, including water and wastewater treatment plants. It was a transformative time, both personally and
professionally.
In 2018, Dean and his wife decided it was time to leave California. Not long after, a friend invited him to Colorado to explore an opportunity with Broe. A sunset dinner in downtown Windsor sealed the deal. Dean called his wife, and together they packed up and embraced this new chapter, with one condition from her: no Montana winters!
Along the way, Dean has been shaped by many men, but none more influential than his dad, stepdad, and Joe Drew - his former boss at Tejon Ranch. A decorated military veteran and leader, Joe’s wisdom lives on in the lessons Dean carries today: “Every good Colonel was a GREAT Lieutenant,” and “You don’t manage people, you lead them.”
Outside work, Dean enjoys mountain biking, restoring classic cars, and spending time with his wife, their three kids, two granddaughters, and four rescue dogs. Their home is filled with life and love - a reflection of what matters most and something Dean views as one of his greatest accomplishments.
To those forging their professional paths, Dean’s advice is simple: be honest, listen more, talk less, and keep your word - especially when it’s hard. As for work-life balance, he sees it more as a “life-work” rhythm. Sometimes life takes precedence, sometimes work does. The key is understanding it’s a journey, not a daily scorecard. Woody Allen (and Van Zant) once said, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans”. Dean has his own version of this saying: “If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your work-life balance plans.”