Keith Thomas
Brown

(1959– )

Brown grew up in Durham NC. He graduated from the NCSU School of Design in 1983 and founded Sun Forest Systems, a custom design/build firm, in 1984. The company was unusually successful at both custom homes and large spec homes. Bill Waddell joined Brown as a partner in 1987 and stayed though 1995 when they closed it to focus on larger projects.

Brown created BuildSoft, a software company, in 1989. He was widely regarded as a brilliant and visionary entrepreneur revolutionizing the construction supply chain —which is estimated to be at least one- third waste. Brown changed the company name in 1996 to BuildNet, expanded its software line and began recruiting high-powered execs in the computer industry. By January 2000, the company raised an astounding $143 million from outside investors, and three months later prepared to go public. Even 1996 Republican VP candidate Jack Kemp joined BuildNet's board of directors. But that October, after the technology stock market crashed, BuildNet withdrew plans to go public and later the company sold its assets. Brown wrote The Builder's Revolution in 1996 describing his procurement vision with a sequel The Interactive Marketplace in 2000.

Brown and Waddell published two issues of AB Builder, a glossy magazine of their design/build work. Issue: One / Two