David A Brown

David Brown has been an entrepreneur for over 30 years. He founded over a dozen companies, created product lines, and obtained patents. Among other accomplishments in business, he created the Flurry Dessert product and patented the mixing spoon. The product is now known as the McDonald's McFlurry. His gourmet pizza company served Marriott Food Service in universities and convention centers.

Several of his product creations were sold nationally as well as internationally. He consulted with Starbuck’s Coffee at their Seattle headquarters, in addition to many other retail and wholesale businesses.

In 2016 he designed and patented a retail package while working on a project with Gladys Knigh, the singer and entertainer.

He moved to Hilton Head Island in 1994 with his wife Cathy and four children. Three years after arriving on Hilton Head, Brown was asked to form a Commercial Real Estate Company to represent the Sea Pines Company. He successfully developed the company and sold numerous commercial properties and businesses in and around Hilton Head.

A partial list of sale and/or lease of properties include the Sea Pines Center, several Wendy’s locations, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Jim N Nicks Restaurant and Plaza in Bluffton, Zaxby’s, Builders First Source, Hilton Head Airport storage complex, retail and commercial buildings in Wexford village, Lazy Boy Furniture, Bressler’s Ice Cream, Executive Park Office Center (former SunTrust office building), Odyssey Health Club, Hilton Head Medical Plaza building, the Haven Homes manufacturing plant in Ridgeland, and negotiated the sale of many independently owned businesses. He founded Southern Lifestyle Real Estate in 1998 to add Residential Real Estate sales to the commercial company.

In 2004, Brown and Partner Robert Denckhoff founded Abbey Glen Communities. They built the 56-home community with a Clubhouse and other amenities. Their current building project is Silver Moss, a 48-home development on Hilton Head Island.

Nikki Haley, former South Carolina Governor, honored David at the “State of the State” in 2012 for his role in convincing BE GREEN, a large compostable packaging company based in California, to open a manufacturing plant in Ridgeland. He visited the Governor’s residence during a private cocktail party for the top executives of BMW and other large businesses in South Carolina following the “State of the State”.

In 2015, David consulted with the Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, to purchase property on Hilton Head. David and his wife Cathy were honored to spend an overnight at the governor’s residence in Harrisburg, PA, with Tom and First Lady Susan.

In 2020 David established ONNIT For The Brave to give back to Military, Police, First Responders, Medical and Teachers. When one of our ONNIT Members buys or sells a home anywhere in the US, ONNIT receives a large referral fee from a real estate company in that area and passes it along to that member. This results in a reward payment of thousands of dollars. www.onnitforthebrave.com

Personal Info:

Born in Erie, PA

Attended Gannon University, where he studied pre-med and Cedarville University in Ohio, majoring in Business Administration.

David was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army. While doing a tour in Viet Nam, he was decorated with the Bronze Star and Viet Nam Service Medal, serving as a Medic.

Currently serving as an Elder at Hilton Head Presbyterian Church, where he also served on the Governing Commission board and organized the Building Renovation Committee. Prior to being an Elder, he was the chairman of the Deacon's board.

He has served on several boards during his business career and was a member of the Lion’s Club and Rotary Club.

He has always been active in sports, including baseball, football, water skiing, snow skiing, jogging, and tennis.