Cici Brown

In 2025, the Browns were listed as entry 20 in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s “Philanthropy 50” list in recognition of a $150 million gift to the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach. Others on the list included Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates, and Michele Kang. ²

Background

Cici Brown was born and raised in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. She graduated from Westbrook College, which is now the University of New England, in Portland, Maine and was a buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. ^{1  3}

She married J. Hyatt Brown in 1965. They had three sons and traveled extensively as a family. ¹

In 2014, Brown was diagnosed with breast cancer and was treated with chemotherapy and radiation. After several months of treatment, she was deemed cancer-free. She continues to advocate for mammogram testing and early detection of breast cancer. ⁴

Hyatt Brown was a successful businessman in the insurance industry and a Florida politician. His father and a cousin founded Brown & Brown Insurance in 1939. He assumed control of the company in 1993, making it increasingly successful. As of 2025, he continued to serve as chairman of the company. ⁵ From 1972 to 1980, he was a Democratic Party member of the Florida House of Representatives and served as Speaker of the House for the last two years of his term. ^{6 7}

Civic and Charitable Activities

Brown was involved in several civic and charitable organizations in Florida. She has been a sustaining member of the Junior League and on the board of the Florida Humanities Council for several years. She has worked with the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, Florida since 1971 and was the president of its board of trustees for 3 years. She was a founding member of the Cultural Arts Council of Volusia County and was a board member for 12 years. ⁸

Brown has been involved with Stetson University in central Florida in several capacities. She was a member of the board of advisors for the College of Arts and Sciences for 12 years and a chair for one term. In 1999, she became a member of the Stetson University board of trustees and continued in that role for 15 years. In 2007, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the university. ^{8  9}

Philanthropy

Cici and her husband Hyatt have focused their philanthropy on the Daytona Beach, Florida area with a focus on education and the arts. ¹

In 2017, the Browns established the Brown Riverfront Esplanade Foundation and contributed $15 million in 2018 to renovate the Riverfront Esplanade, a city-owned riverfront park located just outside the Brown & Brown company headquarters in Daytona Beach. ^{10  11} As of 2025, Hyatt was the board chair and Cici was the vice chair of the foundation. ¹²

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a frequent grantee of the Browns through a series of donations including a $25 million gift in 2022 to build the Cici and Hyatt Brown Center for Aerospace Technology. ¹³ This was Embry-Riddle’s largest gift received since it was founded in 1926. ¹⁴

The Browns have made several large donations to Stetson University. In 2014, they helped establish the Brown Center for Faculty Innovation and Excellence. In 2018, they gifted the university $18 million for a new science building and an expanded science curriculum. This was the largest donation in the university’s 135-year history. The new building opened in 2023 as the Cici and Hyatt Brown Hall for Health & Innovation. ^{15  6}

In 2012, Cici and her husband Hyatt gave the Museum of Arts and Sciences $13 million to build the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art as an extension to the museum. It became the permanent home for the Brown’s collection of over 2,600 Florida-themed paintings which they also donated. The museum was reported to have the largest collection of Florida art in the world as of 2025. ^{4  16} In 2024, the Browns gave the Museum of Arts and Sciences $150 million to pay for the construction of a new main building and to turn the existing building into a children’s science center. ¹⁷ It was the largest contribution to the museum in its history. ¹⁸

The Browns also donated to the University of Florida, establishing three faculty endowments and supporting athletic and scholarship programs. ¹⁹

Recognition

In 2014, Stetson University awarded Cici and Hyatt Brown the George and Mary Hood Award which recognized their contributions to the university in both service and financial gifts. ⁹

In February 2025, Cici Brown was honored at the Daytona Regional Chamber’s annual meeting with the Glenn Ritchey Leadership Award for her contributions to the Daytona Beach region. ²⁰

In 2025, the Browns were the winners of the first annual Daytona Beach News-Journal Impact Awards in recognition for their $150 million donation to the Museum of Arts and Sciences. ¹⁰

In 2025, the Browns were listed as entry 20 in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s “Philanthropy 50” list in recognition of their $150 million gift to the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, Florida. Others on the list included Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates, and Michele Kang. ²