Kevin M. Brown Joins American Red Cross as Chief Operating Officer

American Red Cross President and CEO, Mark W. Everson, announced today that Kevin M. Brown will join the charity as the Chief Operating Officer on September 10, 2007.

In this role, Brown will oversee all six lines of business, including Biomedical Services, Service to Armed Forces, Disaster Response, International Services, Chapters, and Preparedness and Health and Safety Services.

“Kevin has a proven track record as an effective manager. He is a personable leader with sound judgment and a man of great integrity,” said Everson. “In filling this crucial position, Kevin further strengthens the senior team that I will depend on to lead the American Red Cross.”

Brown has served as the Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) since May 2007. Prior to that, he served as the chief operating officer of the agency, Chief of Staff and Commissioner of the IRS Small Business/Self Employed Division, one of the agency’s four operating divisions.

Before joining the IRS, Brown worked for the Department of Justice as an attorney of the Tax Division’s Appellate Section, and as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Appellate Matters.

He earned his B.A. from Hamilton College and his J.D. at Boston College Law School.

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.