Rick was born in Salem, Virginia, on February 17, 1953, and was born again at Mason Cove Chapel near Catawba in May, 1958.  A graduate of Virginia Western Community College (A.S.), Virginia Tech (B.A.), Radford University (M.S.), and Pensacola Christian College (Ed.S.); he has been on staff since July 1991.  Rick taught in the Roanoke County Public Schools for three years and served as an Associate Pastor at four different Southern Baptist churches prior to coming to Shenandoah.

Rick is married to Elaine Cronise Brown who also serves on the RVCS staff as an administrative assistant in the main school office and as athletic secretary.  She has been a long-time member of the Shenandoah Baptist Adult Choir.  Rick and Elaine have two daughters, Dinisha Brown Fether (born 1982; RVCS Class of 2000 and Bryan College Class of 2004), who serves s the lower school principal, and Deidre Brown Stone, (Born 1985; RVCS Class of 2003 and Liberty University Class of 2007), who is married to Joshua Stone and resides and works in Lynchburg, VA.

Rick also is a member of the Shenandoah Baptist Adult Choir.  He has a passion to see students educated Christianly.  He enjoys camping, reading, and Words With Friends.