George Mason University Foundation welcomes new trustees

George Mason University Foundation has announced the recent appointment of 11 new trustees to the board. The appointments were approved at the June 3, 2016, full board meeting. The trustees will begin their terms with the board effective July 1. The newest members represent both government and private business professionals, all committed to the continued success of George Mason University and its Faster Farther Campaign, according to a news release.

“The heart of our mission at the Foundation is to advance private philanthropic support for Mason,” Janet Bingham, president of the George Mason University Foundation and vice president of the university’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, was quoted as saying in a press release, “We have seen amazing successes in this realm just this past year, with transformative multimillion–dollar gifts toward scholarships and public service. Such developments would simply not be possible without the support and guidance of our Board of Trustees.” 

“The philanthropic support provided through the George Mason University Foundation is absolutely key to our success in delivering on our mission of inclusive excellence,” George Mason University President Ángel Cabrera was quoted as saying in the press release.

Joseph J. O’Brien was elected to serve as the new chairman of the board. Outgoing chairman James W. Hazel, JD ’84, will remain chair of the Faster Farther campaign.

About the New Trustees:

Jeffrey S. Detwiler is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Long & Foster Companies. He guides the strategic direction of the organization while overseeing human resources, legal, marketing, information services, and finance. He has 25 years of experience in the financial services field, which includes mortgage banking, fixed income and traditional banking.

Timothy H. Gillis currently serves as the Global Head of Indirect Tax Services at KPMG, LLP.  He joined KPMG as a partner in 1998 and has more than 25 years of professional experience as an auditor, lawyer, and tax professional, serving both Fortune 500 and mid-market companies in diverse industries. Since 2008, he has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center. He is also active in community organizations including Thanks USA, the American Heart Association, the Living Classrooms Foundation, and is the co-founder of the .300 Club.

Alfred Grasso is the President and Chief Executive Officer at the MITRE Corporation.  He joined MITRE in 1986 and has held several leadership and management positions during his tenure there. He is responsible for developing and leading the company’s overall strategic and business operations for its federally funded research and development centers.  Grasso is a passionate leader in STEM education, working to advance educational opportunities for young people.

Trevor J. Montano is the Chief Investment Officer for the U.S. Treasury Department. He leads the investment team in managing, monitoring and monetizing investments in more than 100 institutions under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. He began his career in public accounting in the banking and capital markets group at PricewaterhouseCoopers. A graduate of Mason’s accounting program (BS ’00), Montano served on the School of Business Alumni Board of Directors and was nominated to the School of Business 20 Prominent Patriots cohort of 2015.

Michael A. Murray is the President and Chief Executive Officer at TMA Direct, as well as a Managing Partner at Precision Data Management. At both TMA Direct and Precision Data Management, he works with a broad spectrum of clients, from Fortune 1000 companies to some of the country’s most well-known membership associations and political organizations. He has been hired to provide fundraising and marketing services by numerous U.S. presidential candidates as well. A graduate of the finance program at Mason (BS ’92), he was inducted into the university’s inaugural 20 Prominent Patriots in the School of Business and is a member emeritus for the School of Business Dean’s Council.

Gary G. Nakamoto is Principal at the Nakamoto Group LLC, a full-service business development company and management consulting firm focused on fostering growth in federal and public sector companies in North America. In 2010 he was selected as a Finalist for Executive of the Year, Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. He served on the School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council at George Mason University.

Robert W. Noonan is an Executive Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton. He has 35 years of active-duty experience in key Army and Joint Staff leadership and management positions, and 13 years at Booz Allen. He focuses on the firm’s military intelligence business within the services, combatant commands, Defense Intelligence Agency, and Office of the Secretary of Defense. He is a current member of the Advisory Board for the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University.

Ronald D. Paul serves as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Eagle Bancorp, Inc. and EagleBank.  He also serves as the President of Ronald D. Paul Companies, which is engaged in the business of real estate investment and management. Active in several charitable organizations, he serves on boards for the Washington Hospital Center Foundation and the National Kidney Foundation of the National Capital Area. In addition to his local philanthropic support, Paul founded the EagleBank Foundation, which raises funds for breast cancer research, patient services, and education. He and his wife recently created the Ron & Joy Paul Kidney Center at George Washington University.

Susan E. Soza served for three decades as an officer of Soza and Company, which was founded by her late husband, William. The information technology, management consulting, and accounting firm was acquired by Perot Systems in 2003. A graduate of Longwood University, Soza served for eight years on the Longwood University Board of Visitors. She and her husband were the 2011 recipients of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s award for excellence in community service for their commitment to the Latino community. Soza has served on the University Life Advisory Board, the Merten Campaign Committee, and the Honors College Advisory Board at George Mason University.

Michael A. Stievater is Vice President of Sales for Oracle Corporation. A senior software sales executive with 30 years of experience, he has led Oracle’s North American Public Sector Applications, Cloud & Analytics sales division for 12 years. In that capacity he is responsible for revenue across the U.S. and Canada at federal, state, and local levels.

Sonya J. Stone is Associate Managing Partner at Tatum, LLC and is responsible for business development and oversight of client engagement in the Mid-Atlantic region for Tatum, a Randstad company and leading professional and interim services firm offering hands-on strategic, financial, and technology solutions for its clients. She has more than 30 years of business and CFO financial management experience in entrepreneurial, rapid growth, and crisis management of nonprofits and professional service companies. Stone is a graduate of Mason’s accounting program (BS ’83) and has served on the Campaign Steering Committee for the university since 2013.

Dean Appointment:

Henry M. Butler is Dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. Prior to his appointment as dean, he was a George Mason University Foundation Professor of Law and executive director of the university’s Law & Economics Center. For more than 25 years he has led judicial education programs teaching the basics of economics, finance, accounting, statistics, and scientific methods to more than 3,000 sitting federal and state judges.

Butler will join Dr. Thomas R. Prohaska, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, as a dean representative on the Board of Trustees for a two-year appointment.

Media contact: Leigh Harrison, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 703-993-9537

About the George Mason University Foundation

The George Mason University Foundation was established in 1966 to assist the university in generating private support and to manage, invest, and administer private gifts, including endowment and real property.

About the Faster Farther: The Campaign for George Mason University

Faster Farther is about securing Mason’s place as the intellectual cornerstone of the region and a global leader in higher education. The goal is to raise $500 million through 2018. Learn more at fasterfarther.gmu.edu