Four alumni have been elected to the Wofford College Board of Trustees, replacing outgoing trustees Mike James ’73, Jim Johnson ’71, Pat Prothro ’96 and Joe Taylor ’80.
The new trustees were elected June 6 at the South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church held in Greenville, S.C.
The new trustees are Dr. Blanding Jones ’92, cardiothoracic surgeon in California’s Kaiser Permanente system; Wade Keisler ’80, real estate developer and philanthropic leader; Greg O’Dell ’92, chief executive officer of Events DC; and Margaret Green Young ’92, a partner with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Reelected to new four-year terms on the board were the Rev. John Hipp ’75, Stewart Johnson ’67, Craig Melvin ’01 and Dr. Danny Morrison ’75.
At its May meeting on campus, the board elected these officers for the 2019-20 year: Corry Oakes ’89, chair; Chris Carpenter ’90, vice chair; and Costa Pleicones ’65, secretary.
Jones is a practicing cardiothoracic surgeon and physician leader/administrative chief of cardiovascular services for the Southern California Kaiser Permanente system. A native of Sumter, S.C., he graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1997 and pursued extensive surgical training at both Emory University and the University of California-Irvine. Jones has hosted alumni events in California and has served on the President’s Advisory Council as well as serving on various committees as a member of Wofford’s Alumni Advisory Council.
Keisler is a respected business and philanthropic leader in the Midlands area of South Carolina and has served as a licensed real estate broker for the past 25 years. A longtime supporter of Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia and a member of Saint Stephens Lutheran Church in Lexington, S.C., Keisler is a member of the Greater Columbia Association of Homebuilders and the National Association of Homebuilders. He serves on the FOR WOFFORD Campaign Steering Committee and is a former member of the college’s Investment Advisory Committee.
As chief executive officer of Events DC, O’Dell heads the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. Hailing from Stone Mountain, Ga., he was a member of the Wofford men’s basketball team from 1988 through 1992. In his role at Events DC, O’Dell oversees the operations of a $2 billion portfolio of sports and hospitality-related venues inclusive of the 2.3-million-square-foot convention center, which hosts 1 million guests annually. He serves on several national and international boards, including the Washington, D.C., Economic Partnership; Destination D.C.; the Children’s National Medical Center; the National Cherry Blossom Festival; and the Professional Convention Management Association.
Young is an audit partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers. A native of Camden, S.C., and resident of Blacksburg, Va., she is the east region leader for the private company services practice of PwC, overseeing a staff of approximately 600 individuals and 65 partners focused on delivering audit, tax, advisory and personal financial services to privately held and family-owned companies with domestic and international operations. She also has served as an elder at First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg as well as on the boards of the Girl Scouts Mountains to Midlands, the Mary Black Foundation, the United Way of the Piedmont, the Chapman Cultural Center and Wofford’s Terrier Club.
By Annie S. Mitchell