Three New Members Appointed by Governor to ODU Board of Visitors
June 02, 2015
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has appointed three new members to Old Dominion University's Board of Visitors, and has re-appointed businessman Frank Reidy to a second, four-year term.
Mike Henry, chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine; Donna Fischer, president and CEO at DLS Engineering Associates; and Yvonne Allmond, senior vice president at TowneBank, were appointed June 2 by McAuliffe to four-year terms. They were among a slate of appointments Tuesday that introduced new members to the boards of public colleges and universities across the state.
The new Board of Visitors members replace three departing members: Barry Kornblau, J. William Cofer and Andrea M. Kilmer.
Old Dominion President John R. Broderick thanked the departing members of the Board of Visitors for their support of the University, noting that Kornblau's departure is mandated by state law which limits to two terms the amount of time served on public university governing boards.
"Bill Cofer and Andrea Kilmer, both ODU graduates, have made significant contributions to the university through their board participation," President Broderick said. "We are pleased to have Frank Reidy remain with us on the board for another term and I look forward to working with Donna, Mike and Yvonne. All three of them I know and respect a great deal.
"Mr. Kornblau has been a passionate advocate for Old Dominion since he was a student here, and has been an extremely active and generous alumnus - with his time, stewardship and leadership. We are grateful for his many contributions and he will be sorely missed," President Broderick continued. "I am looking forward to working with our new members to achieve the University's strategic goals."
For more than 23 years, Henry, an Old Dominion graduate, has been active in statewide and national political campaigns where he guided strategic political communications, fundraising and grassroots initiatives. Henry has also worked with several advocacy organizations, ballot initiatives and consulting groups to ensure electoral turnout and promote awareness of specific issues. From 2009 to 2011, he was senior director of U.S. field operations for (musician) Bono's The ONE Campaign, a global advocacy and campaigning organization that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, by raising public awareness and working with political leaders to support effective policies and programs that save lives. Henry also worked to create political will in key congressional districts for bipartisan global poverty and disease-fighting legislation, helped expand ONE's grassroots membership, mobilized bi-partisan political and business leaders and raised awareness of global poverty issues.
Henry began his career in 1988 working as a door-to-door canvasser for Clean Water Action while attending Old Dominion University.
Fischer is president and chief executive officer of DLS Engineering, a company she established in 1995 to manage government contracts in engineering and integrated logistics for the U.S. Coast Guard and other government agencies. Altogether, Fischer has 40 years of experience in the analysis, design development and implementation of integrated engineering and logistics services.
An ardent supporter of Old Dominion University, Fischer mentors students and encourages young women, especially, to pursue higher education and careers in science and technology. She serves on the ODU Engineering Advisory Board and is part of the Batten College's Development and Communications Committee.
Allmond works as a senior vice president at TowneBank, in Norfolk, and serves on the boards of the YMCA in Norfolk, the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk State University Foundation Board and the Board of Trustees of the Norfolk Employees Retirement System. Additionally, she is the vice chairman for the Virginia Housing Development Authority Board of Commissioners and secretary and treasurer for Old Dominion University's Community Development Corporation.
Allmond was recently recognized by the YWCA with a "Women of Distinction" Award, honoring her many contributions to the community.
Reidy was appointed to the Board of Visitors on July 1, 2011. He is currently chair of the University Advancement Committee, vice chair of the Audit Committee, and a member of the Academic and Research Advancement and Institutional Advancement Committees. He also serves as the Board's representative to the University's Honorary Degree Committee. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Old Dominion University in 2008.
Reidy is a shareholder and director of Pennsylvania General Energy, an exploration, drilling and production company for natural gas and oil in Pennsylvania. From 1972 to 1984, he was shareholder and managing director of General Diesel Supplies in the Republic of Singapore, and was a shareholder and manager of Applied Technical Services in Saigon, Vietnam, from 1965 to 1972.
In a statement, Gov. McAuliffe said the leaders of Virginia's higher education system will set the course for institutions that are essential to our Commonwealth's economic success.
"Virginia has one of the best higher-education systems on the globe and I am confident that these leaders will keep their schools moving forward as we work together to build a new Virginia economy," he said.