EdVenture installs new board officers and Dr. John Dozier as Chair
June 21, 2016
COLUMBIA, SC – EdVenture announces the appointment of a new board chair and four current board members as officers of its board of trustees.
New Chair Dr. John H. Dozier currently serves as the inaugural chief diversity officer at the University of South Carolina where he is responsible for leading diversity and inclusion efforts that are focused on creating learning, living and working environments that embody the values of University of South Carolina. Prior to his arrival at the University, Dozier served as vice president of academic and student affairs, chief information officer and ultimately as president in the Chicago community college system. He is a graduate of South Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. Dozier also holds a Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Education degrees from DePaul University.
Newly appointed as officers on the Board of Trustees are Jamie Becker, Vice Chair for Governance, with Haynesworth, Sinkler,Boyd, PA. In his work, Becker focuses exclusively on complex business litigation in areas such as business and consumer financial services, automobile sales and marketing, commercial and consumer real estate contracts, unfair trade practices and intellectual property.
Kevin Lindler, Vice Chair for Internal Affairs, is senior vice president, Retail Banking executive at First Citizens Bank. Lindler also serves as the Metro Columbia market executive. He began his banking career in 1997 with Wachovia and joined First Citizens in 2006.
Mason Hardy, Vice Chair for External Affairs, is vice president at Creative Financial Strategies. He offers financial planning, wealth management and qualified plans through Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and has specialized experience working with nonprofit organizations. Tonya Dorsey, Secretary, is the second vice president of Transformation in the Innovation Delivery Office at Aflac. Dorsey is responsible for leading the innovation evolution for the Aflac Group based in Columbia. Driving alignment of business and technology strategies.
“John Dozier combines his genuine passion for the work we do throughout the community with solid, principled leadership,” said Karen Coltrane, president and CEO. “When John is in the room, you always know the discussion will be rich and the decisions well informed. We are so proud to have him leading our board.”
Most recently retiring board members are: Stacey Hunter, Cigna; Elizabeth Igleheart, independent consultant; Edna Langley, Langley III, LLC, and Debbie Zvejnieks, The Zvejnieks Foundation of South Carolina.
Board members for 2016-2017 are:
John Dozier, University of South Carolina, Chair
Jamie Becker, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., Vice Chair of Governance
Kevin Lindler, First Citizens Bank, Vice Chair of Internal Affairs – Treasurer
Mason Hardy, Creative Financial Strategies, Vice Chair for External Affairs
Tonya Dorsey, Aflac, Secretary
Chip Amaker, BB&T
Stephanie DeFreese, BlueCross BlueShield of S.C.
Tyrone Ellis, Ingersoll Rand – Club Car Division
Barbara Livingston, Gregory Electric Company Inc.
Mary Lynch-Wagnon, Colonial Life
Janice Marshall, James E. Clyburn Scholarship & Research Foundation
Dwayne Porter, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health
Karen Smith, TD Bank
Julie Smithwick, PASOs
Wells Whaley, Whaley Food Service
Ex Officio
Bradley Anderson, South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association
Tameika Issac Devine, City of Columbia
Damon Jeter, Richland County
Seth Rose, Richland County
About EdVenture
The mission of EdVenture is to inspire children to experience the joy of learning. EdVenture is a locally-managed, not-for-profit informal educational institution dedicated to lifelong learning through its 92,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor interactive exhibit space and in its educational outreach programs and after-school programs. The museum has welcomed visitors from all 50 states and 18 foreign countries, creating shared experiences and memories for families learning together. For more information about EdVenture, visit www.edventure.org or call 803-779-3100.
