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Payne Brown is Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at cable giant Comcast Corporation. Comcast is the nation’s largest cable television and broadband provider. The Company also owns several cable channels including, the Golf Channel, E!, Style, G4 and a substantial stake in TV One, a network targeting adult African Americans.  He serves on the cable division’s executive committee and also attends the Chairman’s staff meetings. Payne established the company’s diversity council which he now serves on,  developed the company’s overall diversity philosophy and is a frequent lecturer on diversity related issues.

In his current role Payne manages strategic relationships with various industry, government and special interest groups. He works with third party organizations on issues ranging from content to regulation. In addition, he is a member of TV One’s executive management team heading up their business development and strategy area.

Early in his Comcast career, Payne worked in labor relations and often served as lead negotiator in numerous labor contract negotiations as well as assisted field operations with a variety of employment issues.

Prior to joining Comcast in 1999, Payne spent three years practicing law at the law firm of Helmke, Beams, and Boyer. He also served as an assistant prosecutor for the State of Indiana, and as the Director of Public Safety for the city of Fort Wayne. In this capacity he was responsible for the operations of the Police, Fire and Communications departments. Brown was also the co-founder of the SBA Academy, an afro-centric Saturday school enrichment program that continues to serve nearly 120 kids each week.

Payne serves as Chairman of the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board and is a member of the Greater Philadelphia YMCA executive board. He was an at-large member of the Fort Wayne Community School board (1992-1999), and became the first African American in the city’s history elected to a city wide office. He served as the board’s President for two years. Most recently he was the executive producer of the award winning HBO documentary “The Black List”. The movie reveals the diverse experience of being black in America through interviews and portrait sessions with leading African American figures.

Payne graduated in 1984 with a B.S. in management from Purdue University. He received his J. D. from George Washington University, National Law Center in 1987. He has received numerous honors and awards for his community involvement.

Payne’s most prized accomplishment is being the proud father of his two children, Cole (13) and Faith (9).

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