he University of Georgia Foundation Board of Trustees approved changes in leadership and board appointments.

The board voted to elect E. Howard Young as chair for a two-year term running through June 30, 2027. Also elected to the executive committee were Natalie Schweers Coghill as executive vice-chair, Vernon E. Googe III (Trey) as secretary and John M. Turner Jr. as treasurer. 

The UGA Foundation elected three new trustees who will join current members to comprise a 47-member board. Those individuals include Deep Shah, J. Hardman Knox and Carol Barranco Yancey.

Additionally, Steve C. Jones was elected by the board as emeritus chair. Jones is the second individual to hold this position in the university’s history.

Emeritus status was extended to five trustees: Michael J. Boudens, Christopher W. Brown,John R. Parker Jr.,former UGA Foundation Chair Neal J. Quirk Sr. and Elisha W. Finney.

Four advisory trustees, Richard J. Arroll II, William Craig Barrs, Kimber L. Houlne and Lewis Abit Massey, were elected to assist foundation committees in defining and achieving their strategic goals. 

John J. Neely IV and James D. Lemons will join Rebecca Mayo as associate trustees.

Corey Dortch succeeded C. Lee Zell as UGA Alumni Association president and will serve as an ex-officio voting trustee.

Individuals with new positions or status within the UGA Foundation are:

Officers

• E. Howard Young, of Atlanta, chair, is the president of General Wholesale Beer Co. and has served on the UGA Foundation board since 2019. He earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from UGA in 1982.

• Natalie Schweers Coghill, of Augusta, executive vice-chair, is senior vice president at Synovus Securities Inc. and has served on the UGA Foundation Board since 2020. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 1995 and a Juris Doctor in 1998, both from UGA.

• Vernon E. Googe III (Trey), of Atlanta, secretary, is the chairman and CEO at Yancey Bros Co. and has served on the UGA Foundation Board since 2020. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1991 and a Juris Doctor in 1994, both from UGA.

• John M. Turner Jr., of Birmingham, Alabama, treasurer, is chairman, president and CEO at Regions Financial Corp. and has served on the UGA Foundation Board since 2021. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from UGA in 1989.

Elected Trustees

• J. Hardman Knox, of Atlanta, is principal of Hight Knox Properties LLC. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from UGA in 1998.

• Deep Shah, of Duluth, is chief operating officer and owner of Gwinnett Clinic. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in international affairs and biology from UGA in 2008 and was a Rhodes Scholar.

• Carol Barranco Yancey, of Atlanta, is the retired executive vice president and chief financial officer at Genuine Parts Co. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from UGA in 1985.

Emeritus Trustees

• Steve C. Jones, of Atlanta, emeritus chair, serves as the senior United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia and has served on the UGA Foundation Board Development, Nominating and Trusteeship, Costa Rica and Executive Committees, the latter of which he served with distinction as secretary and strategic vice chair. He has been a UGA Foundation Board emeritus trustee since 2022 and served as UGA Alumni Association president from 2011 to 2013. He earned his bachelor’s degree in management in 1978 and Juris Doctor in 1987, both from UGA.

• Michael J. Boudens, of Newton, Massachusetts, is the retired vice-chairman for Wellington Management Co. and has served on the UGA Foundation Board since 2017, where he has served with distinction on the Finance Committee, Nominating Committee, Audit Committee, Student Scholarships and University Initiatives Committee, and chaired the Investment Committee for the past five years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from UGA in 1981.

• Christopher W. Brown, of McLean, Virginia, is the founder and managing principal of Brown | Miller Wealth Management LLC and has served on the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees since 2017, where he has served with distinction on the Investment Committee and SSUI Committee, which he chaired for two years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from UGA in 1987.

• Elisha W. Finney, of Saint Petersburg, Florida, is the retired executive vice president and chief financial officer at Varian Medical Systems Inc. and has served on the UGA Foundation Board Audit and Development Committees. She earned her bachelor’s degree in risk management and insurance from UGA in 1983.

• John R. Parker Jr., of Athens, is the retired senior vice president and general counsel of strategic initiatives for Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. He has served on the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees since 2016, where he has served with distinction on the Finance Committee, Investment Committee and Development Committee, which he chaired for one year. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from UGA in 1973.

• Neal J. Quirk, Sr., of Atlanta, is member and partner for Quirk & Quirk LLC. He has served on the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees since 2021, where he has served with distinction on the SSUI Committee, Finance Committee, Costa Rica Committee, Development Committee — which he chaired for two years — the Nominating Committee — which he chaired for one year — then was the executive vice-chair, chair, and most recently, immediate past chair. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance in 1982 and his Juris Doctor in 1987, both from UGA.

Advisory Trustees

• Richard J. Arroll II, of Atlanta, is principal at Major & Arroll LLC. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from UGA in 1984.

• William Craig Barrs, of Atlanta, is the retired executive vice president of customer service and operations at Georgia Power Co. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from UGA in 1980.

• Kimber L. Houlne, of Plano, Texas, is the CEO at Working Solutions LLC. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from UGA in 1988.

• Lewis Abit Massey, of Peachtree Corners, is partner at Impact Public Affairs and former secretary of state for the state of Georgia. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from UGA in 1984.

Ex-Officio Voting Trustee

• Corey McArthur Dortch, of Marietta, is an executive search consultant for CarterBaldwin Executive Search Firm. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications in 2003, master’s degree in education in 2005 and his Doctor of Philosophy in 2011, all from UGA.

Associate Members

• James D. Lemon, of Watkinsville, serves as chair of the UGA University Council Executive Committee.

• John J. Neely IV, of Savannah, serves as president of the UGA Student Government Association.

• Rebecca J. Mayo, of Athens, serves as president of the UGA Staff Council.

The complete list of UGA Foundation Board of Trustees is available at give.uga.edu/uga-foundation/trustees-and-committees.