Kenneth Brown, associate dean of undergraduate programs in the Tippie College of Business and Ralph L. Sheets Professor of Management, is not only accomplished in his academic work but also in his health and fitness. Brown leads his students and staff with a focus on health as a predictor of success both in business and life. Most recently, Brown was recognized by his colleagues as a Wellness Hero for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and the insights he gained along the journey that he uses to motivate him and those he works with.
“It was the perfect challenge for me because it took me out of my comfort zone yet fit a bunch of things that I love to do—traveling internationally, connecting with friends, and supporting a great charity,” Brown says. “I climbed with Endure to Cure, a pediatric cancer foundation founded by Tippie alum Jason Sissel (BBA ’99).”
To prepare, Brown spent a year cross-training with weights, treadmill climbing, running (including some interval work), and hiking. The training paid off—though he was tired, he never felt unprepared while on the mountain. After about seven hours of climbing on Jan. 7, 2019, Brown and Sissel reached the summit.
Training to climb a mountain was certainly challenging, but Brown approaches his daily health with a similarly global view.
Do you know someone who practices health and well-being in an inspiring way? Nominate your Wellness Hero here: https://hr.uiowa.edu/livewell/wellness-heroes
“Sleep, drink plenty of fluids, eat unprocessed food including lots of fruits and vegetables, supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals, and move regularly,” Brown says. “I now think about fitness as a daily lifestyle comprised of a series of small choices, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, rather than something I do two to three times per week for 30 minutes. Some days I only exercised 10 minutes, and then on weekends I had days where I hiked six hours. Success is defined by sticking with it by fitting in whatever my schedule would allow on any given day or week.”
Being a leader in well-being means practicing what he preaches, but also encouraging his staff and students to do the same.
“I think a lot depends on where you are on your own personal journey,” Brown says. “To someone who doesn’t feel alert and healthy, I’d suggest just getting started. Pick one simple change, and start tomorrow morning. Ten minutes of brisk walking is better than none at all. After a couple weeks, stack a new change on top of that one, such as increasing the minutes of walking or increasing the number of servings of fruit and vegetables you eat each day.”