David Brown Becomes First Archivist of Securities and Exchange Commission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2007-119

Washington, D.C., June 15, 2007 - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that David Brown has become the first Archivist of the agency. Mr. Brown will play a leadership role in managing the records of the agency and preserving vital historical documents.

SEC Chairman Christopher Cox said, "The appointment of the agency's first Archivist demonstrates the Commission's commitment to preserving the history of the agency, and to using those resources for the benefit of today's investors and of future generations. The new archivist will ensure that Commission staff, practitioners, scholars, journalists and indeed every citizen will have access to the thinking and analysis of the many outstanding people who have worked here."

SEC Secretary Nancy Morris added, "David's addition to the Office of the Secretary's Reference & Information Services Group will allow us to more effectively organize and preserve the Commission's records, thereby ensuring that the Commission has access to the records it needs to fulfill its mission and enhance government accountability."

As SEC Archivist, Mr. Brown's duties include setting policies and procedures for maintenance and retention of records of all types, including paper, microform, electronic, audio, and video materials.

A certified archivist, Mr. Brown most recently served as Special Assistant to the Archivist of the United States at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). During his 14-year tenure at NARA, he served in various capacities, performing all aspects of archival work in the federal records lifecycle. In 2001, Brown was assigned for six months to the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, where he participated in the development of the NATO Archives Programme. Brown twice received NARA's Archivist's Special Achievement Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Achieving Organizational Goals - in 2003 for his work on the development of appraisal guidelines for science records, and in 2006 for authoring NARA's Transfer Guidance for Digital Photographic Records.

Mr. Brown holds an M.A. in American History (Phi Beta Kappa) and a B.A. in History from George Mason University.