Tom Brock recently took over for Susan Turner as President of the McLean Citizen's Association (MCA). The president and board are elected by the general membership of the MCA.
Number of years in the community. We have lived in the Washington, D.C. area for 30 years and in McLean for 12.
Family. My wife is Maureen Brennan; we have been married for 25 years. Our son, Ben, is 21 and will be a junior this fall at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.
Education. B.A. Economics, University of Iowa; J.D., George Washington University.
Current job/primary occupation. I am an attorney. I was in private practice for 25 years; in 2004, I joined the Federal Trade Commission to handle its antitrust litigation.
Achievements. Professionally, I am regularly invited to address professional groups, including the American Bar Association and conventions of national and state associations on current regulatory issues. On a community level, I co-chaired the MCA's Education and Youth Committee for three years with Jan Auerbach and Chris Cole.
Activities/interests/hobbies. I read a lot, mostly current events, American history and biographies. I backpack: in the past few years our son or friends and I have been on three to eight day trips in Glacier, Yellowstone, Shenandoah, Big Bend, and Olympic National Parks. Last month a friend and I hiked 32 miles along the C&O Canal from Paw Paw, W. Va. to Hancock, Md. I am also interested in astronomy and enjoy the monthly Star Parties at Sky Meadows State Park near Paris, Va.
Favorite local restaurant or place in the community. Moby Dick's House of Kabob. It's fast, but not fast food.
What are your community concerns? What are some ideas you have on ways to improve your community? The most important issue the community faces in the next year is the extension of Metro through Tysons Corner and to Dulles. The extension of Metro will have far-reaching impact on all aspects of our community, including the environment, our schools, the county budget and taxes, as well as transportation. For example, based on my experience with the MCA Education and Youth Committee, I am concerned that the school system is not prepared to deal with the Metro extension. This summer, Cooper Middle School is adding a significant number of "portable" classrooms. Similarly, at least to my knowledge, plans to renovate Franklin Sherman that were developed before our son was in third grade have yet to be implemented. The population growth of Tysons due to the extension of Metro will only increase the demands on our schools. The community should resolve the global problems it will confront with the extension of Metro. The MCA is an excellent forum for examining these issues and working with the county government to address these concerns.
What brought you here? My wife and I both came to Washington for school. We moved from Georgetown to McLean to give our son, who was eight at the time, the advantages of the Fairfax schools.
What community "hidden treasure" do you think more people should know about? There are three: Riverbend Park, Great Falls National Park, and the Potomac Trail, along the river from the Beltway to Roosevelt Island, maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. All three have great trails for weekend walks.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you "grew up?" Growing up on a farm in rural Iowa, I considered the possibility of becoming a vet until I realized I wasn't any good at science. I then became involved in high school debate and public speaking, which led to an interest in going to law school.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Professionally, I will continue to enjoy practicing law. I focus on areas in which there have been rapid changes and which will remain very challenging. Also, I would like to continue working through the MCA or other organizations which can make tremendous contributions to the community.
Personal goals? I always dismiss the possibility of doing the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail until I read about another 78-year-old grandmother who does the entire trail with no practice, little equipment, and a laundry bag strung over her back. If she can do it…