Your Search for Excellence Starts and Ends with BrownThompson

BrownThompson Executive Search provides comprehensive retained executive searches for corporate and non-profit clients in both the public and private sectors in San Diego and across Southern California. Principals Tom Brown and Judy Thompson conduct searches discreetly and professionally to fill C-level positions with the best executive talent. Each search is based on a carefully developed set of criteria— the most important of which is the candidate’s potential for a successful long-term fit within the client organization and culture.

With diverse but complementary backgrounds, Tom and Judy are able to tap into a vast network of potential candidates as well as a deep reservoir of business and human insights gleaned over 25 years in their respective fields—Tom as a senior U.S. technology and manufacturing executive and Judy as an entrepreneurial leader in executive search and recruiting.

Tom Brown, President & Co-founder

Tom Brown, a CPA and President of BrownThompson, rose through the executive ranks of Sony Electronics over a 16 year span ultimately becoming Deputy President, leading Sony’s $5-billion North American manufacturing and engineering operations.

	Accomplishments & Memberships
		American Institute of Certified Public Accountants California State Society of CPAs Century Club National Association of Corporate Directors San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation —Past Board Member

Tom began his career in the 1970s with PriceWaterhouseCoopers consulting to publicly-traded Fortune 100 companies and other enterprises in New Jersey and New York. He later became the CFO of a major catering and food service operation serving the New York Metropolitan area in the mid-80s. Tom joined Sony as Divisional Controller for its North American manufacturing operations in 1988.

Over the next seven years, Sony’s U.S. presence grew from three factories and $400 million in revenues to more than 20 business units and $5 billion in revenues. In 1995, Tom assumed the position of Corporate Controller, serving as de facto CFO, directing Sony’s total North American operations, and managing Sony’s U.S. expansion from $7.6 billion to $13 billion in revenues by 2000.

In 2000, Tom assumed responsibility for establishing the Sony VAIO brand in North America. As President of the Information Technology Division, Tom shepherded $1.5 billion in revenue growth in the highly competitive personal computing industry between 2000 and 2004.

With an impeccably strong performance record, Tom was also designated Deputy President of Sony Electronics Engineering, Manufacturing and Customer Service in 2001, a position he held until 2004. As leader of Sony’s North American manufacturing and engineering business, Tom achieved record profit performance for Sony Electronics and the U.S. engineering and manufacturing division while overseeing a variety of major strategic business initiatives for Sony in North America.

Judy Thompson, Director & Co-founder

Judy Thompson, Managing Director of BrownThompson, has been interviewing and recruiting CFOs as well as controllers and other senior accounting and financial positions for over 25 years. Her career began in the 1970s in the top producing office of a 325-office national search firm. She founded her own financial executive search firm, Judy Thompson & Associates, in 1981, and is a principal in ThompsonRose Interim Professionals, which she co-founded in 1998 to fill the growing market for interim financial and accounting professionals.

	Accomplishments & Memberships
		Judy Thompson & Associates Financial Executive Search —President ThompsonRose Interim Professionals —President Corporate Director's Forum —Executive Board & Membership Chair Corporate Finance Council —Board of Trustees —Past Chair Person Institute of Management Accountants —Past President & Board Member Women Who Mean Business Award Who's Who in Finance and Industry Who's Who in California

Judy is committed to advancing the interests of San Diego’s accounting and financial community and does so through involvement in several key professional associations. She heads the membership committee for the Corporate Directors’ Forum and is on its executive board. Judy also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Corporate Finance Council and was its chairperson from 2001 to 2002. For 13 years, Judy served on the board of directors of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and was its president from 1993-94. She is a long time member of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

In 2000, Judy was awarded the prestigious Women Who Mean Business award by the San Diego Business Journal. Judy is listed in Who’s Who in Finance and Industry and Who’s Who in California. She has spoken for the San Diego and North County chapters of IMA, the California Society of CPAs, American Woman’s Society of CPAs, American Society of Women Accountants, and The Regional Conference for Beta Alpha Psi in San Diego. In addition, Judy has moderated the Institute of Management Accountants Accounting Day CFO Panels in San Diego for over 10 years. In September 2003, Judy moderated a CEO/CFO panel for the national conference of the American Society of Women Accountants.

To support the community, Judy founded and continues to run a monthly support group for senior financial professionals called Accountants in Transition. Participation in the group is a free means to access advice and support for accounting and financial professionals who are managing change in their careers.