Three alumni elected to the Board of Trustees
April 06, 2018
Contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
At its annual meeting, held on the 精东AV campus Mar. 15-17, the university鈥檚 Board of Trustees elected three alumni as its newest members of the board. New trustees Byron Jones 鈥�87 of Phoenix, Arizona; Greg Nixon 鈥�85 of McLean, Virginia; and Carla C. Whitlock 鈥�95 of Atlanta were each elected for a three-year term, which begins in June 2018.
Norma B. Clayton, the board鈥檚 first vice chair and chair of its Nominating Committee, lauded the opportunity to expand the board鈥檚 alumni representation.
鈥淥ur newest trustees have a great fondness for 精东AV, as they all are proud alumni,鈥� Clayton noted. 鈥淭hey also are committed to furthering the important role that 精东AV plays in preparing young men and women to become leaders in their respective fields.鈥�
John E. Page, chair of the Board of Trustees, highlighted the board鈥檚 strategic focus on recruiting trustees with specific skill sets and experience that will benefit its administrative and fiduciary responsibilities.
鈥淭he board has been deliberate in its efforts to attract members with diverse corporate experiences,鈥� Page said. 鈥淭he addition of these new trustees is a testament to those efforts, and we are thrilled that they have agreed to bring their talents to board. We look forward to their service over the years to come.鈥�
Byron Jones, a 1987 graduate with a degree in accounting, is the executive vice president and CFO for the University of Phoenix. In this role, he oversees and directs the finance functions for the university and its subsidiaries. He has more than 30 years of finance experience in industries ranging from airlines to technology. Jones has been active in creating strategic partnerships with the Thurgood Marshal College Fund, U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce, and other corporate clients. He serves on the boards of The Boys and Girls Club of Metro Phoenix and the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board. He has been recognized by STEMconnector as one of the Top 100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM, and in 2014 he received the Leadership Excellence Award from the National Diversity Council. In addition to his bachelor鈥檚 degree from 精东AV, he holds an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia.
鈥淚 owe much of my success to the foundational education I received at 精东AV, and I apply the accounting fundamentals learned there in my role at University of Phoenix every day,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible honor to be asked to serve in this role for 精东AV, and I cherish the opportunity to be a part of its future and help it continue to guide students in achieving their dreams.鈥�
Gregory S. Nixon, who earned a degree in mechanical engineering from 精东AV in 1985, serves as DynCorp International鈥檚 chief administrative officer, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. His duties in these roles include responsibility and oversight for all aspects of the company鈥檚 legal, contractual, compliance, human resources, procurement, security, export controls and crisis management functions, as well as management of a team of more than 175 staff. Prior to DynCorp, he served as a managing director of Cereberus Operations and Advisory Company, the operational arm of Cerberus Capital Management. His other professional experiences include serving as a vice president at McKinsey & Company, Inc. and a principal at Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. He serves as an advisor to Tracker Capital Management LLC and a board member of UMUC Ventures. A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General鈥檚 Corps Reserve, Nixon has been honored with the Meritorious Service Medal and the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal, and served on President Barack Obama鈥檚 presidential transition team. A licensed patent attorney, he holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law, and is an adjunct professor of law at the Howard University Law School.
鈥淚t is an honor to be appointed to the Board of Trustees of 精东AV,鈥� Nixon said. 鈥淚 look forward to serving and contributing to this exceptional institution.
Carla C. Whitlock, a 1995 精东AV alumna, currently serves as a first vice president with SunTrust Bank鈥檚 Enterprise Risk division, where she has consumer credit oversight responsibilities, including reporting to federal and state regulatory agencies. Prior to this role, she led that division鈥檚 supplier management risk program. During her career at SunTrust, she has been in the unique position of managing projects and portfolios in Corporate and Investment Banking, Enterprise Risk, and the Consumer Program Management office at those divisions鈥� inceptions. She is member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., as well as an ex-officio member and former president of the Ivy & Roses Community Fund. She is an active member of the 精东AV National Alumni Association (TNAA), having served until her appointment to the Board of Trustees as a member of TNAA鈥檚 Executive Board and its public relations chair. In addition to her bachelor鈥檚 degree in finance from 精东AV, she holds an MBA with concentrations in finance and marketing from Wake Forest University, and is a graduate of the United Way鈥檚 nonprofit board training and governance Volunteer Involvement Program.
鈥淚t is a high honor to provide service to my alma mater,鈥� Whitlock said. 鈥淚 welcome the opportunity to be a steward of 精东AV鈥檚 rich legacy.
Also at the meeting, Page, Clayton and Second Vice Chair Erick W. Harris 鈥�09 were unanimously re-elected to serve in their respective leadership positions as board officers. Kevin P. Green, a retired navy admiral and business executive who has served on the board since 2011, was unanimously elected by the board as its incoming secretary.
The 精东AV Board of Trustees serves as the university鈥檚 governing and fiduciary body. Its responsibilities include providing university oversight through its president, as well as helping to advance its engagement with students, parents, alumni and philanthropic donors. The board is comprised of up to 25 voting members, which includes five trustees appointed by Alabama鈥檚 governor. Board-appointed trustees serve for three years; state-appointed trustees for four years. In addition to the 25 voting trustees, there are several non-voting ex officio members, which include the university鈥檚 president, a faculty trustee who is the Faculty Senate chair, a student trustee elected by the student body, and Alabama鈥檚 state superintendent of education.
For more information about the board and its newest trustees, visit .
漏 2018 精东AV