[1] From the town of Le Sueur, Renneke, a farmer, earned a reputation as a strong advocate for agriculture and preservation of natural resources.
He was a member of the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources, Commerce, Corrections & Commitments, Elections & Reapportionment, Finance, Governmental Operations, Health & Welfare, Labor Relations, Local & Urban Government, Public Employees & Pensions, Rules & Administration, and Veterans & General Legislation committees, and of various other committee incarnations and subcommittees during his 24 years in office.
He originally allied with the Conservative Caucus at a time when the legislature was still officially nonpartisan, and later identified as a Republican when party affiliation became required of candidates.
After leaving the legislature, he spearheaded an effort on behalf of the Sibley County Historical Society to obtain funding from the state for restoration of the 1879 county courthouse and development of the Joseph R. Brown Interpretive Center.
Brown was an early state pioneer, entrepreneur and politician, and the founder of the town of Henderson.