Archived
Seven Join Board of Trustees
Southern Virginia University President Rodney K. Smith is pleased to announce the appointment of seven new members to the university’s board of trustees — Kent W. Colton, Ahmad S. Corbitt, Michael D. Elton, Lynette Gay, Justin Knight, Scott McKeon and Stanford C. Stoddard.
“Each member of our board brings their own unique experiences that help enhance and move the university forward,” said President Smith. “New board members join an exceptionally capable and dedicated board that has helped guide us to fifteen successful years with an LDS environment.”
Kent W. Colton is a senior scholar at the Harvard University and MIT Joint Center for Housing Studies, and president of a housing consultation service. Colton has been an expert in the housing industry for more than 30 years, including experience serving as executive vice president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, and as staff director of President Ronald Reagan’s Commission on Housing. He received a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University and a doctorate in urban studies from MIT. He recently returned from serving as mission president of the Florida Tampa Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife, Kathryn, have five children.
Ahmad S. Corbitt is director of the New York office of Public and International Affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Corbitt has also worked as executive director of corporate communications and as associate general counsel at the Corporation Service Company (CSC), a large, Delaware-based organization representing Fortune 500 companies and national law firms. Additionally, Corbitt served as vice president and general counsel of Coltrin & Associates and was a successful trial and appellate lawyer.
Michael D. Elton is the founder of MDE Institutional Investment, a development and finance company with more than 300 established independent living and retirement facilities across North America. Prior to MDE Institutional Investment, Elton was vice president of IDS-AMFAC and GE Mortgage Corporation. He previously worked in commercial mortgage income property financing and also in residential mortgage. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from San José State University. Elton and his wife, Kay, have nine children.
Lynette Gay is managing director of Kensington Capital Children’s Fund, and serves on the board of directors for Engage Now Africa. She has been very active in leadership roles with several humanitarian service organizations, including Ascend Alliance and Family Watch International. She is a certified medical assistant and has organized and worked in rural medical clinics throughout Africa. From 2004–07, she and her husband, Elder Robert C. Gay, lived in Ghana where he served as mission president for the Ghana Accra Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Justin Knight is president of several real estate investment trusts. Since 2000, he has negotiated more than $3.9 billion in acquisitions and overseen and supported dozens of property renovations. Previously, Knight worked in web design and served as senior asset manager and director of quality control for Cornerstone Realty Income Trust. He also serves on the Marriott Owners Advisory Council and the Hilton Garden Inn Advisory Council. Knight has an MBA from Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management.
Scott McKeon graduated from Southern Virginia University and later received a dual-degree with an MBA and a master’s degree in real estate development from the University of Southern California. McKeon currently works as a development manager for Shea Properties in Aliso Viejo, Calif., team-teaches the apartment development course at USC and serves in the stake Young Men’s presidency in the Laguna Niguel Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. McKeon has also worked in investor relations for Cornerstone REIT and for three years at Apple REIT.
Stanford C. Stoddard is chairman of MTC Capital Corporation, the holding company for Michigan Trust Bank. Stoddard has served on a number of committees and boards including the Smithsonian Archives of American Arts and the Detroit Institute of Arts. He has spent years in the Michigan banking community including years as the president of Michigan National Bank of Detroit. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Additionally, current trustees Kindee Nielsen Dixon, James E. Skeen and David O. Ulrich, have been reelected to the board. Chieko N. Okazaki was given emeritus status.
Southern Virginia’s full board of trustees includes:
Glade M. Knight of Midlothian, Va. (Chair)
Lynn Chapman of Ashburn, Va. (Co-Chair)
Cathy Chamberlain of Murray, Utah
Sterling D. Colton of Bethesda, Md.
Kent W. Colton of McLean, Va.
Ahmad S. Corbitt of Pitman, N.J.
Kindee Nielsen Dixon of Sandy, Utah
Michael D. Elton of Colleyville, Texas, and Mapleton, Utah
Lynette Gay of Wellington, Fla., and Ridgefield, Conn.
Ned C. Hill of Provo, Utah
Justin Knight of Midlothian, Va.
J. Christopher Lansing of Richmond, Va.
Dane C. McBride of Roanoke, Va.
Scott McKeon of Aliso Viejo, Calif.
H. Scott McKinley of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Christopher B. Munday of Orem, Utah
L. Hugh Redd of Great Falls, Va.
J. Mitchel Scott of Apex, N.C.
James E. Skeen of Charlottesville, Va.
Madison U. Sowell of Provo, Utah (On leave, presently serving as interim provost at Southern Virginia)
Stanford C. Stoddard of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
David O. Ulrich of Alpine, Utah
Martha Lou Derrick of Lexington, Va. (Emerita)
Chieko N. Okazaki of Salt Lake City, Utah (Emerita)