Posted by Kara Kennedy on 2009-05-11

Samford University's Brock School of Business announces today the newly elected Chair and Vice-Chair for the school's advisory board. Greg Taylor, Senior Vice President of Business and Market Strategies at AgriBank, headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., begins a three-year term as Chair, replacing out-going Chair Greg Powell of Fi-Plan Partners. J. Fred Kingren, a partner at Hand Arendall LLC in Birmingham steps in for a three-year term as Vice Chair, replacing Gary C. Wyatt of Wyatt Construction. Both men are graduates of the Brock School of Business.

"We are thrilled to have two Brock graduates serve in this capacity," said Beck A. Taylor, dean of the Brock School of Business. "Over the last four years, our advisory board's leadership has taken the school to new heights, something we are very proud of, and now with our new leadership we will keep the momentum going to achieve the goals and objectives outlined in the first four years of my tenure."

Chair Greg Taylor, Atlanta, Ga.

In his role as Senior Vice President of AgriBank, Greg Taylor provides leadership and oversight to the overall strategic direction of the bank as well as leading the Wholesale Lending/Relationship Management team. Prior to joining AgriBank, Taylor served as CEO of Iveco Financial Services, based in Turin, Italy, that offers solutions for financing, renting or leasing heavy duty and light duty trucks and buses.

"I am both humbled and excited to be named the new Chair of the Brock School of Business Advisory Board," said Greg Taylor. "Greg Powell has provided exceptional leadership to this board for the last three years and, in passing the task on to me, he leaves me a daunting challenge to replicate his enthusiasm, passion and commitment. At the same time, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead such a dedicated and accomplished group in the most noble of efforts and to serve those who prepare the next ´greatest generation'".

Vice Chair J. Fred Kingren, Birmingham, Ala.

Fred Kingren is a partner with the law firm of Hand Arendall practicing in its Birmingham office. His practice focuses on helping business owners with their legal needs throughout the life cycle of their businesses, beginning with the start up and evolution of their businesses into mature businesses, continuing with the day-to-day demands of their businesses and eventually ending with their exit from the ownership of their businesses, all the while ensuring that the business strategies being used by them are consistent with their own estate planning strategies. He effectively serves as general counsel to many "Main Street" businesses and their owners. Kingren, who also is a Certified Public Accountant, is an honors graduate of the Brock School and additionally serves on Samford University's Board of Overseers.

On being named Vice-Chair, Kingren noted that "The Brock Advisory Board is comprised of a number of noted business leaders, including Greg Powell, the former Chair, and Gary Wyatt, the former Vice-Chair, who are all dedicated to helping the Brock School, as a part of the larger Samford community, realize its vision of becoming a recognized leader and school of choice among institutions offering undergraduate and graduate business education informed by Christian principles. I am honored," Kingren said, "to have been named the new Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board and look forward to working with Greg Taylor, the new Chair, as well as all of the other members of the Advisory Board, to accomplish the many great things that we all believe the Brock School can achieve during the next few years under the great leadership which Dean Beck Taylor is providing."

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.