By David Brown, Regional Publisher Longtime Cherokee County resident Curtis Brown met the 39th president of the United States because he happened to be manager of a plant that made the right thing at the right time. “My secretary told me President Jimmy Carter was on the line,” Brown said. “I thought, oh, yeah, that’s got to be one of my friends. The pope’s calling me, too.” As it turned out, it was no joke, as Brown could tell it was him as soon as Carter started speaking.