Please join the Keystone Corporation in celebrating Joe W. Brown as this year’s recipient of the Monte Miller Economic Freedom Award at our Annual Dinner with Keynote Speaker Trey Gowdy at the Red Rock Hotel & Casino on November 9, 2023.
Each year at its Annual Dinner, the Keystone Corporation honors and recognizes influential voices in our State who work to preserve free-market principles and economy prosperity by awarding them with the Monte Miller Economic Freedom Award. Previous recipients of the Monte Miller Economic Freedom Award include Sheldon and Dr. Miriam Adelson, former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, Fred and John Gibson, Jim Marsh, Tito Tiberti, and Former Nevada Lieutenant Governor Lorraine Hunt-Bono.
This year, The Keystone Corporation is excited to present the Monte Miller Economic Freedom award to one of Keystone’s founding members and first president, Joseph W. Brown. The Monte Miller Economic Freedom Award is an esteemed accolade that celebrates and honors Nevadans, like Joe Brown, that not only excel in their respective industries but also understand the importance of their role in building a thriving community and contributing to our great state.
About Joseph W. Brown:
In 1968, Joe Brown and his wife, Pam, embarked on a westward journey to Clark County, responding to the call of Judge Al Wartman, who sought his service as a law clerk, after completing law school. At that time, Clark County boasted a population of merely 160,000 inhabitants. Brown’s entry marked him as the first law clerk in the county. During his transition to the west, he found guidance in the form of mentorship from Paul Laxalt, former Nevada Governor and U.S. Senator, and Bob Maheu, then the principal aide to Howard Hughes, who Brown went on to represent among other casinos on the infamous Las Vegas strip.
Since those early days, Joe Brown has evolved into a highly esteemed figure and accomplished leader in the southern Nevada business community. His legal expertise spans government affairs, administrative law, and business law. Noteworthy is his appointment by President Ronald Reagan to the State Justice Institute and The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States for two terms. Brown is AV® Preeminent TM Peer Review Rated by the Martindale-Hubbell’s Legal Directory. He is also listed in Best Lawyers in America, and recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top business and corporate lawyers in the five-state mountain region.
Brown’s leadership extends beyond legal realms, as evidenced by his previous roles as chairman or director in numerous business, civic, and charitable organizations. In the charitable domain, he has made a profound impact as the Chairman of the Catholic Community Services, where his stewardship has contributed significantly to the organization’s mission of compassion and support for those in need. His commitment to preserving traditional and dynamic cultures of the American West is evident through his service on the Board of the Western Folklife Center. In the realm of youth development, Brown has dedicated his time and expertise to the Board of the Boys & Girls Club, championing initiatives that empower and guide the next generation. His strategic vision also extends to the financial sector, where he has served on the boards of several banks, including Valley Bank of Nevada, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Joe Brown was also the first president and one of the founding members of the Keystone Corporation in the 1990s.
Among his diverse commitments, Joe Brown’s involvement with influential bodies such as the Nature Conservancy, the Department of Wildlife, the Nevada Development Authority, the Nevada Athletic Commission, the Nevada Military Support Alliance, Nellis (AFB) Support Team, and Nevada chairman of the Republican National Committee. Notably, he was appointed to the Nevada Gaming Commission, a pivotal regulatory body for the gaming industry integral to Nevada’s economy, by former Governor Jim Gibbons in 2008, and reappointed by former Governor Brian Sandoval, until 2015.
Educationally, Joe Brown holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Washington & Lee University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia. His legal practice is recognized in both state and federal courts of Nevada and the District of Columbia. In 2012, the University of Nevada Las Vegas bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, and the following year, he received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Washington & Lee University School of Law.
In addition to his legal, business, charitable, and civic contributions, Joe Brown is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Presently, Joe Brown serves as an attorney at Jolley Urga Woodbury & Holthus in Clark County, specializing in government affairs, administrative law, and business law. Alongside his wife, Pam, with whom he has shared 57 years of marriage, they call the Las Vegas valley home. Proud parents of four sons, Joe and Pam delight in their roles as grandparents to seven grandchildren.
Joe Brown’s multifaceted journey is a testament to a life devoted to the pursuit of justice, leadership, and service, creating a legacy in our community that resonates far beyond the legal arena.