Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of the Danville Regional Foundation is a diverse group of Danville and Pittsylvania County citizens who have distinguished themselves through their service and dedication to the community. Members bring to the Board a mix of energy, experience, expertise and continuity, as well as a commitment to enhance the long-term future of the area.

Officers

B.R. Ashby, MD, Chair
Carolyn B. Evans, Vice Chair
Karl N. Stauber, President & CEO
Margie E. Wilkinson, Secretary
Aubrey D. Dodson, Treasurer

B.R. Ashby, MD, Chair

Dr. Ashby, a native of Danville, spent his youth in Schoolfield. He joined the Medical Center Board in 1988 as president of the medical staff after practicing psychiatry in Danville since 1971. In civic and educational activities, Dr. Ashby was the first chairman of the Danville Community College Educational Foundation as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Virginia Medical School Foundation. A Board member of the Future of the Piedmont Foundation, he has served on the boards of the United Way, Averett University, Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church and is chairman of the Danville Regional Health System. Because of his contributions locally and statewide, he was honored as the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year in 2001. In 2006 Governor Tim Kaine appointed Dr. Ashby to a four-year term on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Richard Barkhouser

Richard Barkhouser of Danville is president of Barkhouser Ford and Barkhouser Lincoln Mercury. He has served as chairman of the United Way of Danville, president of the Danville YMCA, vice chairman of the board of Danville Community College, vice chairman of the Workforce Investment Board, a director of the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region and a trustee of Ascension Lutheran Church, in addition to serving on the board of the Health System.

His many local contributions to the region led to him being named the 2004 Kiwanis Citizen of the Year.

Ben Davenport

Ben Davenport has continuously lived in Pittsylvania County where he is chairman of Davenport Energy and First Piedmont Corporation. He is vice chairman of the Future of the Piedmont Foundation, past rector and current member of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and past president of the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce. He is a member and former deacon of Chatham Baptist Church and a member of the Board of Hargrave Military Academy. He is also on the board of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and the board of American National Bank. In 2006 he was named the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year.

Carolyn Evans, Vice Chair

Carolyn Evans, a native of Danville, has been employed by the City of Danville since l986 and currently is director of customer service for the Utilities Department.

She was elected by city employees to serve on the board of trustees of the Employees' Retirement System and for the past six years has been Board chairperson.

Evans has been church clerk at Calvary Baptist Church for approximately 20 years.

Betty Jo Foster, EdD

Betty Jo Foster, Ed.D, lives in Pittsylvania County. Retired from Danville Community College, she served for 35 years in many roles, including Professor and Vice-President of Academic and Student Services. Currently she teaches part-time for DCC, serves as a consultant, and conducts numerous seminars for local businesses. Dr. Foster is the former chair of the Board of Trustees at Danville Regional Medical Center and has served on the boards of Danville Regional Health System, United Way and Riverview Rotary (past president). She was named Citizen of the Year in Pittsylvania County and received the Leadership Southside Excellence in Leadership award in 2003.

E. Gregory Hairston

Gregory Hairston lived in the Cascade area of Pittsylvania County during his youth and now resides in Danville. He is senior attorney with the Virginia Legal Aid Society.

His civic activities include being president of the Danville branch of the NAACP, a member of the board of the Virginia Housing Coalition, SCALE UP, and the Danville /Pittsylvania County United Way.

Beyond civic responsibilities, he is a member of the trustee board of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church.

Mark C. Hermann, MD

Mark C. Hermann, MD, of Danville, has been a surgeon with Danville Orthopedic Clinic since 1990. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Danville Regional Medical Center and has served in leadership positions with the medical staff. Dr. Hermann has served as YMCA President, serves on the Board of Associates of the Future of the Piedmont Foundation, and is active in the local chapter of the International Mountain Bike Association.

He has been the instructor for the Sports Medicine Internship program at Averett University.

Charles Majors

Charles Majors came to Danville to practice law in 1972. He has served as President & CEO of American National Bank & Trust Company since 1994. Currently he serves as Chairman of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Board of Directors. He is a past chairman of the Danville School Board, the trustees of Averett University and the Womack Foundation, as well as a past president of the United Way and a past director of the Chamber of Commerce. A past chairman of the administrative board of Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, he is a director and treasurer of the Future of the Piedmont Foundation

James A. Motley

James Motley of Danville is retired CEO of American National Bank where he worked for 42 years A former treasurer of the United Negro College Fund, he is a trustee of Hargrave Military Academy, the City of Danville Employee Retirement System and First Presbyterian Church.

In addition to serving on the Health System Board, he is a past president of the YMCA, United Way and Hughes Memorial Fund. Because of his efforts locally, he received the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year Award in 1986. In 1987 he received the State Economic Volunteer of the Year Award.

Everlena Ross

Everlena Ross, of Dry Fork, is director of programs for Pittsylvania County Community Action. Formerly she worked for the Navy and the General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C.

She is vice president of SCALE UP and the Pittsylvania County branch of the NAACP.

Ross is a member of the Community Policy Management Board, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, and a former member of the board of the Chamber of Commerce.

Kirby Wright

Kirby Wright, of Pittsylvania County, is Director of TARE and Special Projects at Danville Community College and the owner and director of R.C. Wright/C & K Group Homes. He is Chairman of the Virginia Human Rights Committee as well as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Piedmont Credit Union. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Goodwill, a member of the State of Virginia Olmstead Community Integration Advisory Commission, and a member of the Parish Finance Committee at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. A past president of the Local Human Rights Committee of the Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute, Wright is a past member of the Danville Area Council of Community Services, United Way, and the Mental Health Association.

Of the Board's eleven members, seven are from Danville and four are from Pittsylvania County. According to the proposed bylaws of the Foundation, no director can be an elected government official. Board members serve staggered terms and are subject to term limits.

The Board is organized into five standing committees: Audit, Bylaws/Governance, Community Investment, Investment, and Nominating.

The Audit Committee oversees the financial reporting process, internal controls and audit; exercises prudent judgment in recommending independent auditors; develops and recommends the annual operating budget; and is the recipient of any concerns raised consistent with the Foundation's Whistle Blower policy.

The Bylaws/Governance Committee reviews and recommends changes in the Bylaws, assures Bylaws are current and reflect Board actions, assists in assuring that the governance policies are reflective of current good practices and legal requirements.

The Community Investment Committee develops procedures for grant applications, reviews those applications, and recommends grants for the Board's vote of approval.

The Investment Committee monitors the investment and reinvestment of assets; evaluates the performance of investment managers; utilizes investment advisors as necessary; evaluates investment policies; determines the employment and termination of investment managers; and other financial matters.

The Nominating Committee recommends individuals to serve on the Board of Directors.