On January 22, 2005 Federico “Rico” Brown Jr. was named the 2005 CMIA Professional of the Year. In the nomination form for Rico, it was noted that he is a very energetic person. It also said; “He is constantly coming up with new ideas and always moving. He stays busy with work, CMIA, coaching his children in sports, tutoring children in school, and continuing his education (while maintaining A’s and B’s) – all at the same time, and with a 2-hour commute each way, every day. His family is what he is most proud of. Any conversation with him will convince anyone of that. He expects his children to excel in school and sports, which they do as well as being good, polite kids.
Rico has lived in Antioch since October 1998. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., until age 10, when his mother moved him and his sister to Los Angeles. He lived in Los Angeles until 17, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army to escape gang life after watching a fellow gang member shoot himself in the head on his 18th birthday. Rico is happily married and has six children.”
Rico’s energy is contagious. He is always trying to improve himself and those around him. In the Army, he learned Telecommunications. After his honorable discharge in 1990, he enlisted in the California National Guard. Here, he attended the Medical Repair Program at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center. He was again honorably discharged in 1992, but remained in the National Guard until 1997 as a Sergeant E-5. He started civilian life as a BMET (Biomedical Equipment Technician) at Weed Army Medical Center at Fort Irwin in Barstow (as a civilian contractor). He received certification as a CBET (Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician) in 2000. He has worked as a Biomedical Engineering Manager and/or a Biomedical Electronic Equipment Technician at St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco, Seton Medical Center in Daly City, Summit Medical Center in Oakland, Children’s Hospital Oakland, Highland General Hospital in Oakland, San Mateo County General Hospital, Desert Valley Medical Center in Victorville, Weed Army Medical Center at Fort Irwin in Barstow, and CIGNA Healthcare in Santa Fe Springs. He has worked his way up in the field while making significant contributions along the way, and winning several recognition awards. He currently works for Sutter Health as a Lead Senior Field Service Specialist. He has been President and an active member of the Bay Area Chapter of the CMIA, as well as serving on the State Board of Directors.
During all of this, Rico has assisted with CBET study courses, volunteers as a mentor/tutor for Junior High School students and coaches Basketball. All the while he has been attending college working on his Information Technology (I.T.) degree and maintaining a 3.77 GPA. His goal is to achieve an MBA with a concentration in Technology Management.
More information about Rico, and the CMIA Professional of the Year Award program can be found at www.CMIA.org.
As the winner of this award, he received an award of $1,000 from Welch Allyn, an engraved plaque, and will be nominated for one of the AAMI (Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) annual national awards.