He was appointed to his post prior to the start of the 1999-2000 season. At Brown, Brand guided a successful program that regularly sent qualifiers to the NCAA National Championships, including three members of his 1998-99 team. Brand was the Northeast Collegiate Fencing Conference's 1994-95 Coach of the Year. While at MIT, he also gave private lessons and one of his students, Peter Cox, was selected to the 1996 United States Olympic Team.
Brand has an extensive background as a competitor as well.
In 1972, he was chosen to the U.S. Junior Fencing Team and one year later was a gold medalist at the Ottawa Shield, one of three elite fencing events held in Canada. He placed seventh at the 1975 Canadian National Championships and fourth at the 1985 U.S. Championships. Brand participated in the 1987 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival, and in 1989 was a gold medalist for the U.S. at the Maccabiah Games. Brand is a native of Israel who emigrated to the United States at age 13. He resides in Needham, with his wife, Jacqueline, and sons Alexander and Michael.