Mary Ann Brown has maintained a low profile despite her status as one of the highest-ranking female executives in OC, with a resume that stretches from here to New York and London. The below-the-radar routine will get tougher once she adds HOF to the FSA and MAAA that follow her title as EVP of Pac-
Life in Newport Center. Brown’s Sept. 28 induction into the Insured Retirement Institute Hall of Fame will offer more than the obvious clue on how highly she is regarded by her colleagues in the insurance world. She’ll join the IRI’s hallowed hall with the recently deceased Bob Benmosche, who Brown worked under while he was CEO of MetLife and she was president of the company’s New England Life subsidiary, and also when she became chief actuary of MetLife. Brown went on to PacLife shortly before Benmosche retired from MetLife in 2006. You might recall that the Treasury Department called Benmosche out of retirement amid the depths of the Great Recession to serve as CEO of troubled AIG, where he led a turnaround and paid off the $182 billion federal bailout … Emile Haddad’s FivePoint Communities continues to raise the bar as it moves forward with its Great Park Neighborhoods. The Beacon Park development is now open, and here’s a tip for any visitors: Start with what FivePoint calls a Lookout and the Insider will always refer to as the Tree House. Then consider the trees themselves—three of the prettiest jacarandas you’re likely to encounter. All three of the giants were saved from the old El Toro Marine base—dug up, packed at the roots and transported to their new home, where their elegance is undeniable … Managing Editor Hannah Mitchell has some musical chops of her own, which renders her report on Kingston Technology co-boss John Tu’s recent star turn all the more impressive. Mitchell notes that Tu “helped light up an already lovely night” at the Irvine Meadows Ampitheatre on Aug. 9 when he and his JT & Friends gave an assist to Music Director Carl St. Clair during the Pacific Symphony’s Hot Latin Nights concert. JT & Friends typically performs for charity events and other relatively cozy social occasions, but the sharp ensemble seemed right at home on stage at the 16,000-seat venue, especially when Tu took the baton on “Bolero,” producing the “emotional apex of the night on an exquisite note” … Veteran OC boxing promoter Roy Englebrecht didn’t land that role for the upcoming card featuring former champ Shane Mosley’s comeback bid, but his status as “event coordinator” still looks like a step up. The fight is slated for Aug. 29 at the 18,000-capacity Inglewood Forum, a leap from Englebrecht’s usual OC Fight Club boxing and MMA cards at the 800-seat Hangar at the fairgrounds … No shortage of events to coordinate when it comes to the horde of GOP presidential hopefuls coming to OC in search of campaign cash. Next up: Ohio Gov. John Kasich, due at the Pacific Club for an Aug. 25 breakfast with the Lincoln Club … The general public can get a look at another kind of wrangling for a much cheaper price during the Aug. 22-23 Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo in San Juan Capistrano, a first-class act that offers $250,000 in prize money and spots in the national finals for top cowboys from around the world. $30 for adults, $10 for kids 4-12, and free for littler ones. Proceeds go to local charities. Visit https://rmvrodeo.com for more information.
