BE Modern Man is an integrative program that honors the essence, image, and accomplishments of today’s man of color. With features of today’s leaders, executives, creatives, students, politicians, entrepreneurs, professionals, and agents of change—these men share the common thread of creating a new normal while setting the bar in tech, art, philanthropy, business, and beyond. The BE Modern Man is making a positive impact, his way, and has a story to tell.
BE MODERN MAN JAE S. BROWN
Name: Jae S. Brown
Age: 41
Profession: CEO of a Startup Drone Firm; Motivational Speaker; “Innovation Gap” Warrior
One Word that Describes you: Innovative
Social Media handles: Instagram: @yournextopp Twitter: @yournextopp Facebook: jae.s.brown
What does being one of the BEMM 100 Men of Distinction mean to you?
Being one of the 100 BEMM is a high honor. It is a publication that is held in high regard in our community. I am an avid reader and follower of Black Enterprise, which is my go-to publication for seeing black excellence at work and play. I hope my story can inspire others like so many stories from BE have inspired me.
What are some of the immediate projects you are working on?
I am working on building my business and building an organization for minorities in the unmanned aviation industry (UAV) in order to connect, grow, and increase our influence. My business, Vekter Management, is a drone company that prepares people for a career in the UAV industry. We have four divisions (Camps, Certification, Placement, and Drone Racing).
Our aviation camp partners with the City of Atlanta Office of the Mayor and 411 Brand Camp. We are introducing more than 60 children to the drone and aviation industry. Our goal for next summer is to extend our program to 600 students in at least five different cities.
The certification program works with the City of Atlanta’s Office of Workforce Development to train, certify, and find jobs in the industry for graduates of the program. We have an extensive training program that prepares students to pass the FAA test and immediately qualify to fly a variety of missions. Our goal is to expand the program nationally and work with Workforce Development departments in several cities and counties across the nation.
Additionally, we are currently seeking investment and partners to help build out our drone racing centers. We have an extensive business plan for building and growing indoor drone racing tracks.
We also started Minorities in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Association (MUAVA), a professional organization that will connect pilots, drone companies, and organizations seeking to hire minority pilots and/or partner with minority firms. We want this firm to
also be an incubator for minority excellence. The drone industry is in its infancy and rarely is the African American community included in the innovation phase of a growing industry. It is Vekter’s goal to reverse that trend. The drone industry will grow from a $5 billion to a more than $100 billion-dollar industry in the next five years—we want minorities to be at the forefront of the growth. We want to help firms be innovative, pilots get jobs and transform our community through the UAV industry.