Tom Brown, one of the three teacher-members on the board of the New York City Teachers’ Retirement System, was unanimously elected UFT assistant treasurer by the union’s Executive Board at its Sept. 22 meeting.

A pension consultant for years before being appointed a UFT special representative to the Pension Department in 2007, Brown replaces Mona Romain, who has retired.

Romain characterized her successor as smart and knowledgeable. “He has that special quality of caring, which will serve him well in this position,” she said.

A longtime advocate of pension rights, Brown has shared his knowledge of pension-related issues at school meetings citywide, conducted pension clinics and workshops and led training programs for new pension consultants. He co-edits PensioNews, the union pension newsletter, and the Secure Your Future column in the New York Teacher.

The UFT Delegate Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed Brown for election for a three-year term as a trustee of the pension system last February.

Mel Aaronson, the UFT treasurer and a trustee of the TRS for more than three decades, described Brown as a “financially savvy person who will see that UFT funds are protected for all members.”

Brown began his career as a Spanish teacher at IS 234 in 1978. During his 30 years at the school, he served as a delegate and later as a chapter leader.

He was honored on Teacher Union Day in 2006 with the Albert Lee Smallheiser Award for his service to the union and its members.

Brown will now participate in the National Council on Teacher Retirement, the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems and the National Association of Securities Professionals.