Montreat College is pleased to announce the addition of eight new members to its board of trustees in 2020. Individually, each one brings a wealth of experience and gifts. Corporately, this group represents a significant step forward in the continued growth and development of the college that began in 2014. Below is a brief description of each one.
Charlie Davidson has served as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of J.A. Jones Construction Company in Charlotte, NC. He also served as an office engineer at the Charles H. Tompkins Company in Washington, D.C., the vice president and manager at Metric Constructors in Charlotte, and the president at Tiber Construction Company, Fairfax, Virginia. In addition, Davidson has served on several boards and is formerly a member of the Construction Industry Roundtable. Currently, Charlie Davidson and his wife, Joanne, reside in Charlotte. They have three grown children.
Edward Graham graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served 16 years in the U.S. Army. While in service he spent time overseas in combat deployment with special operations and held various leadership positions. After experiencing a call to return home in the winter of 2018, Edward began working for Samaritan’s Purse, where he serves as the Vice President of Operation Christmas Child. Graham is the son of Franklin and Jane Graham and the grandson of Billy Graham. He and his family reside in the mountains of North Carolina.
Tyler Johnson, a native of NC, works for Hendrick Motors in Charlotte, the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. There, he serves as general manager of the Hendrick Mercedes-Benz dealership and has successfully led the turnaround of that dealership. He also has a keen interest in Christian education and Christian apologetics and lives in Charlotte with his wife Emily and their five children.
Ned Kiser is principal of Ned J. Kiser Consulting, Inc. He previously served as vice president for advancement at Huntington University in Indiana, where he led the University’s first major capital campaign—achieving commitments of more than $50 million. Prior to joining the executive team at Huntington, he served on the board of trustees of the university. Mr. Kiser worked for 21 years in the electronics industry as an engineer and in various management roles. He and his wife, Robin, live in Lake Lure, N.C.
Robert P. Klepper is the global chief underwriting officer for property, energy and construction risks at AXA XL Insurance, with his office based in New York City. Bob holds an engineering degree from Clemson University and resides in Fletcher, NC with his wife Lisa and their four children. He is a member of Central United Methodist Church in Asheville, where he and his family remain active in various global missions projects. His interests include fishing, skiing, and adventure travel.
Richard Milam had a varied career, ranging from working with classified material in the Navy, to working for the inventor of the ATM as an implementer of ATM networks around the world. Over time, Richard’s specialty became Artificial Intelligence in the banking sector, helping to improve automation efficiency. Richard served as founder and CEO of EnableSoft, an Inc. 5000 company and developer of Robotic Process Automation “robot” software known as Foxtrot. Over 500 organizations use Foxtrot by EnableSoft technology to automate tasks inside of almost any software application. Milam and his wife, Katharine, share their time between Orlando, FL, and Burnsville, NC.
Jim Moore was a turnaround executive in the soft drink bottling business. Throughout his time as president and COO, spanning from 1987 to his retirement in 2000, Moore led a remarkable resurrection of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (CCBCC). He brings seasoned executive leadership experience, particularly as a turnaround CEO/COO, as well as a strong expertise in finance and an analytical mind regarding risk management and strategic planning. Moore has also served on the Museum of the Bible Board and adds to the growing number of strong trustees in the Charlotte metro area, where he retired with his wife, Sue.
Bill Shipley is a former businessman who was involved with the founding of several companies, and served as president on multiple organizations, such as Shipley Enterprises, Inc., Incon-Therapy, American Direct Response Corporation, Cordura Marketing Inc., National Liberty Marketing, and Baker, Rakich, Shipley and Politzer, Inc. He has served on boards of various organizations which include Fuller Theological Seminary, Youth for Christ USA, Montreat-Anderson College, and the Board of Visitors at Davidson College, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Mr. Shipley currently lives in Charlotte where he is a Ruling Elder at Forest Hill Presbyterian Church.
Montreat College is excited to welcome this gifted lineup of trustees, a lineup that brings the total number of trustees up to 19 members. “It’s absolutely incredible to have gathered together in one place these talented individuals who possess knowledge, drive, and a deep love for Montreat College,” President Paul Maurer said, “God is continuing to bless our college with direction and vision, and these individuals are part of that.”