We regret to announce that long time NIHOA Metro member and former NIHOA Metro NY/NJ chapter president Dave Brown has passed away.
Brownie started officiating hockey in the 1980’s and quickly rose through the ranks. In 1989 he became a member of the NIHOA Metro NY/NJ chapter. Brownie played baseball at St. Peter’s College from 1988-92, and had a brief coaching career at Bayonne HS.
Dave attended multiple USA Hockey Development Camps and worked in the AHL, IIHF, ECAC, NCAA D1, USHL, CHL, ECHL, NIHOA and USA Hockey. He was assigned playoffs and finals in all of those leagues and worked five straight NCAA Frozen Four National Championships. He was assigned to IIHF Tournaments in Mexico, Japan, Hungary, Russia, and Germany working the U18 and Men’s World Championship Gold Medal Games.
Brownie brought the same energy to a mite game that he brought to an AHL Game. He was a great partner, mentor and an even better friend. He was the president of the Metro NIHOA NY/NJ chapter from 2007 to 2016.
Outside of the hockey world, Dave was a career firefighter in Bayonne and rose to the rank of Battalion Chief at the time of his retirement.
Brownie’s passing will leave a huge void in the hockey world, but none more so than in NJ.
RIP Brownie.
