Auburn University Board of Trustees Biographies

TRUSTEE PROFILES
Terms of service for AU Trustees listed below are consistent with Alabama Attorney General Troy King's opinion of October 7, 2005.

	John G. Blackwell, District 8 P.O. Box 19065 Huntsville, AL 35804 (256) 874-3991 Blackwell, Chairman of INKANA Properties, a real estate developer that specializes in complex joint ventures and finance structures, was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Gov. Don Siegelman to represent the 8th District. His term expires March 7, 2012.The former Captain of the Auburn basketball team received a B.S. in Business from Auburn in 1964 and completed the course work for a doctorial degree at the University of Montevallo and the University of Alabama. During his 20 plus years in higher education administration, he served as CFO for two State Universities and was the Development officer for the AU College of Sciences and Mathematics. He is a active past member of the Auburn Alumni Association. John has three sons, Taylor '89, Slade (UM '90) and Austin '04. He is married to Shirley J. Andrews and together they enjoy seven grandchildren, fitness activities and educational travel.

	Dwight L. Carlisle, District 4 1797 Andrews Mill Road Tallassee, AL 36078 (334) 857-2923 dcarlisle@comlinkinc.net Carlisle, Alabama's Revenue Commissioner until 2004, was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2004 to represent the 4th district. His term expires on February 9, 2011. Carlisle graduated from Auburn in 1958 with a B.S. degree in Textile Engineering. He retired as president and chief executive officer of the Russell Corporation in 1991 after 33 years with the company.

	Byron P. Franklin, District 9 Chief Care Officer Faith Chapel Christian Center 800 Quebec Drive Birmingham, AL 35224-1527 (205) 942-3435 A Native of Sheffield, Alabama, this dynamic messenger of God is on a mission to bring the practical message of faith and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person God places in his path. After an exceptional career in athletics and business success at Auburn University (where he earned a B.S. in Education in 1991) and 7 years in the National Football League, Byron dedicated his life and established an intimate relationship with Christ. From there, he began his journey of walking, hearing and obeying the voice of God which ultimately led to accepting the Pastoral call upon his life. Pastor Byron obtained his license to minister in 1998 at a local church, where he served as Associate Pastor. In 2000, God led him to join Faith Chapel Christian Center and submit to the leadership of his spiritual father and mentor, Dr. Michael D. Moore. He has served in many capacities at Faith Chapel including a member of the choir & band, director of the singles ministry, Leadership Development Institute (LDI) student & graduate and minister. Currently he and his wife Meriam pastor Living Word Church in Livingston, AL. Living Word Church, which arose out of the combined instruction of Dr. Moore and vision God gave Pastor Byron, is quickly developing into a ministry complex known as the "City of Truth." Established 5 years ago, this ministry, situated on 23 acres of debt free property, has become one of the fastest growing churches in the area. Pastor Byron served 16 years as Director of Special Markets and Public Relations for the Buffalo Rock Bottling Company before accepting his current position as Chief Care Officer for Faith Chapel. He also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Auburn University and Board of Directors for Faith Chapel. Together Pastor Byron and Meriam have four children, Byron Jr., Kelsie, Brandon & Bradley.

	Samuel L. Ginn, At-Large 400 El Camino Real, Suite 1400 San Mateo, CA 94402 (650) 342-3650 A native of Anniston, Ginn is a pioneer in the wireless communications industry. A 1959 AU graduate, Ginn is a retired chairman and CEO of Vodafone. He was appointed by Gov. Bob Riley for an at large seat on the Board in 2005. His term expires on February 16, 2012. His $25 million gift to the AU College of Engineering in 2001 helped fund a wireless engineering degree program and has helped vault Auburn into the nation's elite wireless research and teaching institutions. In recognition of the gift, the college was renamed the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. Ginn, who resides in Hillsborough, Calif., is married to Ann Vance Ginn. They have three children and six grandchildren.

	Raymond J. Harbert, At-Large Harbert Management Corporation 2100 3rd Avenue North, Suite 600 Birmingham, AL 35203 Phone: (205) 987-5605 Fax: (205) 327-6885 Harbert, chairman and chief executive officer of Harbert Management Corporation, was appointed to the Board of Trustees in March 2009 by Gov. Bob Riley as an at-large member. His term expires on March 24, 2016. Harbert graduated from Auburn in 1982 with a degree in industrial management and immediately began his career with Harbert International Inc., a subsidiary of Harbert Corporation. In 1990, he was elected president and chief executive officer of Harbert Corporation, and, in 1994 he formed Harbert Management Corporation as an alternative asset investment management firm. He also serves as Trustee for the State of Alabama Trust Fund, is vice chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Children’s Hospital of Alabama, and in 2006 was awarded the regional Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Financial Services. Harbert and his wife, Kathryn Dunn Harbert, live in Birmingham. They have three children.

	Gaines Lanier, District 5 J. Smith Lanier & Co. P.O. Box 70 300 West 10th Street West Point, GA 31833 (706) 645-8215 Fax: (706) 643-5786 Lanier was appointed as member of the Board of Trustees in 2007. His term expires on May 29, 2014. Lanier graduated from AU in 1974 with a bachelor of science in business administration. He earned a football scholarship to Auburn and lettered at defensive tackle in 1972, 1973 and 1974, playing for AU legend Ralph “Shug” Jordan. He has served as a member of various business and civic organizations and boards, including the Auburn University College of Business Advisory Board, the Board of Trustees for the Chattahoochee Valley Educational Foundation and the Board of Directors for the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation. Lanier has two daughters, Ashley and Lindsey, both Auburn graduates. He and his wife, Sonia, live in Lanett, Ala.

	Robert E. Lowder, District 2 2080 Bell Road Montgomery, AL 36117 (334) 329-4260 Lowder, retired chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Colonial BancGroup, Inc., was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1983 by Gov. George Wallace to represent the 2nd District. Appointed to a second term by Gov. Don Siegelman, his term will expire on April 21, 2011. Lowder graduated with high honors from Auburn in 1964 with a B.S. in Business Administration. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army and served two years active duty. He later served in the Alabama Army National Guard, reaching the rank of captain. Married to Charlotte Lowder, he has three children.

	Charles D. McCrary, At-large 600 North 18th Street Birmingham, AL 35291 (205) 257-2243 McCrary, president and chief executive officer of Alabama Power Company, was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2004 as an at-large member. His term expires on April 5, 2011. McCrary joined Alabama Power during the summer of 1970 following his freshman year at Auburn and has held various positions of increasing responsibility within Southern Company. In addition to his B.S. degree from Auburn, he earned a J.D. from Birmingham School of Law. He is married to the former Phyllis Brantley of Birmingham and has two sons.

	Sarah B. Newton, District 7 President Pro Tempore 570 Newton Road Fayette, AL 35555 (205) 932-6251 snewton330@aol.com Newton, principal of Fayette Elementary School, was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2004 to represent the 7th district. Her term expires on February 9, 2011. Newton received a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Auburn in 1974 and has a masters degree and Certification in Administration from the University of Alabama. She has been an administrator and teacher of elementary education since 1974. She and her husband Bill Newton have three sons.

	James W. Rane, District 3 P.O. Box 610 Abbeville, AL 36310 (334) 585-2291 Rane was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Gov. Don Siegelman to represent the 3rd District for a term that expires on May 19, 2011. He has a B.S. in business administration from Auburn, a doctorate of jurisprudence from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and completed the Owner/President Management Program of the Harvard Business School. The president and chief executive officer of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc., is married to Angela Rane and has three children.

	Governor Bob Riley, President of Board State Capitol 600 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, Alabama 36130 (334) 242-7100 Governor Bob Riley was sworn into office as Alabama's 52nd chief executive on Jan. 20, 2003, after representing the state for six years in the United States Congress. He was born and raised in Ashland, where his family has lived on ranches and farms for six generations. Gov. Riley is married to the former Patsy Adams. The couple has four children.

	Paul J. Spina, Jr., District 6 Spina Enterprises, Inc. 3477 Indian Lake Way Pelham, AL 35124 (205) 621-2000 Spina, a Birmingham native and Shelby County business executive, was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Gov. Fob James in 1995 to represent the 6th District. His term expires on September 2, 2009. Spina, an honor student, received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Auburn in 1963. The civic leader and ex-president of the Auburn Alumni Association, is married to Bena Ann Spina and has three children.

	Virginia N. Thompson, District 3-Lee Co. East Alabama Medical Center 2000 Pepperell Parkway Opelika, AL 36801 (334) 528-5924 virginia.thompson@eamc.org Thompson, marketing director for East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2004. Her term expires on April 21, 2011. Before joining EAMC in 1998, Thompson worked as an accountant at firms in the Mobile area. She graduated cum laude from Auburn in 1978. Thompson is married to Timothy Thompson and has three children.