Meet BE's CGO, Jerry Dunnavant!

Jerry is the Chief Growth Officer (CGO) for Brown Edwards and has over 30 years of experience in business strategy, marketing, and management. His career path includes stops in banking, corporate management with a Fortune 1000 company, a marketing agency, and business development. This wide range of experience is now being deployed to help Brown Edwards thrive by innovating and enabling new growth strategies and client service expansion.

We interviewed Jerry to get to know him outside of his profession, and we were surprised to learn that he grew up being a RedSox fan, thanks to Carlton Fisk and his classic homerun in the '75 World Series.

What year did you join BE, what position were you hired in, and which offices have you worked in?

I joined BE on January 1, 2020, as Director of Business Development based in Roanoke, just two and half months before COVID shut down everything.

Tell us a little about where you are from and where you grew up.

I grew up in rural Southern Virginia, working in the tobacco and hay fields for friends and family, playing baseball, and fishing and hunting every chance I could.

What do you like to do in your free time, and who do you like to spend it with?

My wife and I love the outdoors,  hiking, biking, kayaking, traveling, and fishing.

What's the last book you read, or what is your favorite book/series you have ever read, and why?

Last book... Way Out Wayne...because a friend wrote it. Favorite series...all of what C.S. Lewis has written. Love his ability to develop stories that are captivating with the clear purpose/meaning that they convey.

What's the next place on your travel bucket list, and what will you do there?

Iceland to see the Northern Lights.

What would be your superhero name and superpower if you starred in your own hero action movie?

Teleportation superpower because I could get anywhere instantaneously. This would make travel easier both for work and pleasure. My superhero name would have to be something like the Flash, but that's been taken so... I'll go with Instantaneous.

What is one food you can’t live without and why?

Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles... It's the perfect food!

What three things would you bring if you knew you would be stranded on a deserted island?  

A machete, a fishing pole, and my wife.

Why did you choose a career at Brown Edwards, and what do you enjoy most about it?

I didn't choose it; it chose me.  I was asked to join BE to help with marketing/business development. I completely enjoy helping a well-established professional services firm grow from a solid foundation into one of the premier regional firms.