Muncie - Well-known Midwestern investment company owner Kenneth J. “Bud” Brown, Jr. passed away on April 29, 2010 at Colonial Oaks Health Care Center, Marion, IN. Mr. Brown was born June 22, 1924 in Muncie, IN, the son of Kenneth J. Brown, Sr. and Elma Ludwig Brown. Bud’s friendliness, kindness towards others, his family, friends and community will be remembered and missed by many – he was a real people person, treating all with respect and dignity. In addition to his business acumen, he was well-known for his accomplishment in sports, politics and his love for American Saddle Horses.

Mr. Brown joined the investment firm K.J. Brown and Company in 1949. The firm was founded in Muncie by his father in 1931. Bud Brown became President of K. J. Brown & Company in 1969 and under his leadership, the firm grew to a full-service brokerage and investment banking company operating regional offices in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio – employing more than 125 people. Indiana Business Magazine names him one of the “Deans of Indiana Investment Companies.”

For many years, Bud was a member of the American Stock Exchange (New York), the Midwest Stock Exchange (now the Chicago Stock Exchange), the Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the International Monetary Exchange and the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. As a leader and active participant in the securities industry, he served on the Board of Directors of the Midwest Stock Exchange (Chicago), and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. District 8 Committee (Chicago). For many years he served as Chairman of the Securities Industry Association (SIA) Legislative Committee, and for 15 years was a member of the SIA Central States Executive Committee. He was a member of the prestigious national financial fraternity, Kappa Beta Phi (Chicago chapter). Brown also served as President of the Indianapolis Bond Club.

In 1997, he was appointed to be an arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers NASD. Mr. Brown enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, after attending Indiana University for one year. A combat infantry Veteran of World War II serving in the 103rd Infantry Division in the European Theater of Operations. First Lieutenant Brown was awarded a Bronze Star and a Battlefield Commission. He participated in some of the heaviest fighting during 1944-45 in Europe, as only 18 men from his group of 5,000 surviving. At the conclusion of the war, Mr. Brown was one of a select group chosen by General Anthony McAuliffe to lead the anticipated invasion of Japan. Since that did not materialize, he toured Europe playing basketball to entertain troops and others suffering from the horrors of war. Mr. Brown was honorably discharged as a Captain in the U.S Air Force in May, 1958.

Mr. Brown graduated form Burris School in Muncie in 1942, and furthered his education at Indiana University, Oklahoma State University and graduated from Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, in Washington D.C. Returning to college at Georgetown University following his military service; Mr. Brown was considering a career in foreign service, perhaps as a diplomat.

A strong interest in athletics earned Bud “All State Basketball” honors while in high school at Burris (leading his team to the state finals as a senior). His basketball coach at Burris was Scott Fisher. Bud was the first person to receive both Indiana’s coveted Gimbel Award (now known as the Trester Award) and the title “Mr. Basketball.” Burris has retired Bud Brown’s basketball jersey number “55”. He was Captain of the Indiana University basketball team in 1942-43 under coach Branch McCracken. Following his service in the U.S. Army, Mr. Brown was a 3 year varsity player on the Georgetown University Hoya Basketball Team under Coach Elmer Ripley. The team was ranked #1 or #2 in the nation many times during Bud’s career at Georgetown. He was named Most Valuable Player of the National Invitational Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City his senior year. Following his graduation from Georgetown, Bud was recruited by teams to play professional basketball (by Washington Capitols coach Red Auerbach). A founder and honored member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, he has also served as president, treasurer, as a member of that organization’s board of directors and director emeritus. He was also an outstanding high school and college tennis player. Mr. Brown has been inducted into the Delaware County Athletics Hall of Fame.

Breeding and showing American Saddle Bred Horses has been another of Brown's passions, along with raising shorthorn cattle. A photo in Bud's office showed him winning first place at an Orchard Lawn Horse Show in Muncie at age 10. As a young equestrian, he kept a horse at the fairgrounds in Muncie. Later, Bud started Ticker Tape Farm, north of Muncie, and showed American Saddle Breds at competitions throughout the Midwest including Kansas City Royal Horse Show. In later years, he kept his prize horses in Kentucky, where they were trained and prepared for shows. He owned CH Star Waltz, who was a Stakes Champion and a World Champion. This horse was stabled and trained at Teator Stables in Nicholasville, Kentucky by Ed Teator, a Hall of Fame trainer. Bud was a member of the Light Horse Club, which his father helped found, and the American Saddle Bred Association.

Mr. Brown was very active in Muncie, Delaware County and Indiana activities, reflecting his strong civic and community involvement. He served three terms as State Senator in the Indiana General Assembly (1955 - 1963). He was elected as a Republican to the Senate in 1954, filling the expired term of the late Senator L. A. Pittenger, formerly the President of Ball State University. At the time Mr. Brown was the youngest member of Indiana's upper house. While a Senator, he chaired the Senate Corporations and Transportation Committees, was a member of the Senate Education and Senate Finance Committees, served as chairman of the patty's caucus, assistant floor leader and a Member of the GOP Policy Committee. Mr. Brown co-authored the Right to Work Law and was instrumental in the legislation which brought I-69 closer to Muncie, instead of running through the middle of the state. In the early 1960's, he was one of the State's highest-ranking Republicans and was asked to consider running for Governor and for U.S. Congress.

In 2008, Mr. Brown was inducted as a Distinguished Alumni into the Burris School Hall of Fame, during its inaugural ceremonies. He was named a Sagamore of the Wabash by Indiana Governor Harold Handley and was named an Honorary Secretary of State by two Hoosier governors. He has been honored by induction into the Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame. Mr. Brown served as chairman of the Delaware County U.S. Savings Bond Committee, director of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Muncie YMCA board of directors and as county chairman of the American Cancer Society. He was honored as "Man of the Year" by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Brown served as President of the Burris Alumni Association.

His club affiliations included: The Muncie Rotary Club; Delaware Country Club; Muncie Club; The Columbia Club, Indianapolis; The Lafayette Club, Lexington, Kentucky; Beta Theta Pi Fraternity; the Patrick Air Force Base Officers Club in Florida; Georgetown University Hoya Club; Elks, Muncie Tennis Club, American Legion, YMCA National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and formerly president of the Indianapolis Bond Club. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Brown is survived by Lee Ann Babcock Brown, his loving and supportive wife of 27 years, four children: daughter Kim Mays (husband-Keith) Anderson; son Kevin Brown (wife-Cynthia), Muncie; daughter Kyle Rahn (husband-Darrell) Arp,Texas; son Frederick S. Brown (wife-Kay) Muncie; and daughter-in-law Susan Garrison Brown, Muncie. He is also survived by 15 grandchildren: Joshua Brown, Jordan Brown, Trace Tipton, Mark Findling, Zevin