Glenville, W.Va. – Glenville State College has a network of over 16,000 alumni across the United States and the world, all bettering their communities and excelling at their careers; GSC alumnus Justin Brown is no exception.
Brown graduated from Glenville State College in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, majoring in accounting, management, and marketing with a minor in non-profit leadership.
“I was awarded the PROMISE Scholarship, which is a merit-based financial aid program for West Virginia residents. This was extremely vital for my success in college because it allowed me to take an average of 20 credits a semester since I didn’t have to worry about the burden of a large college debt after graduation,” he said.
Brown was a member of the Students in Free Enterprise organization, the Non-profit Leadership Alliance Student Association, and was an Information Technology Assistant during his time on campus.
In May 2012, Brown was honored as the Top Outstanding Accounting Senior among all accounting majors in the State of West Virginia by the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.
“That accomplishment, accompanied by Mrs. [Cheryl] McKinney’s reputation and professional contacts in West Virginia, and the reputation of GSC, propelled me into my accounting career,” said Brown.
He has worked in public accounting for Suttle and Stalnaker, located in Charleston, West Virginia, and Perry & Associates, located in Marietta, Ohio, before transitioning into his current accounting position for the United States Department of Treasury – Bureau of the Fiscal Service in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Alongside Brown’s accounting career, he has worked for his family’s micro-coffee roasting business in Linn, West Virginia. The business, Aroma of the Andes, was started in February 2012 after the family traveled to South America and purchased a small coffee farm.
“Finca La Despensa,” which translates to “farm pantry,” is located 6,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains in Supatá, Colombia, and became the site of Aroma of the Andes.
“I didn’t know much about coffee before purchasing the farm, however since then, I’ve devoted a substantial amount of time learning everything I can about the growing, processing, and roasting of coffee,” said Brown.
Brown’s family is personally involved in the growing, harvesting, drying, and processing of the coffee.
Aroma of the Andes provides businesses around West Virginia with tasty blends of coffee, including coffee shops, grocery stores, restaurants, and specialty stores. Options for ground or whole bean, caffeinated or decaffeinated, and light, medium, dark, and espresso roasts are available to buyers. Aroma of the Andes also offers unique flavors such as Caramel Crème, Coca Mocha Twist, Blueberry Blizzard, Peaches and Crème, Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint Candy Cane, and more.
Brown currently resides in Parkersburg, West Virginia, with his wife Darlin. The couple met during one of Brown’s trips to Bogotá, Colombia, in 2015, and, after living in Colombia for nine months, they returned to the United States and were married shortly after. Today, the Browns enjoy traveling around both the United States and the world.
Brown also continues to work for Aroma of the Andes on the side in accounting and customer relations and volunteers as Treasurer for Proyecto Global, a non-profit Christian-based organization working in the Amazon region of Colombia, Brazil, and Peru.
For more information on Aroma of The Andes, visit aromaoftheandes.com.
