BOONE, N.C. — Four members of the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees have been reappointed to new four-year terms, effective July 1.

The University of North Carolina System Board of Governors approved the appointments of Mark Ricks, Thomas Sofield, James K. Reaves and Anita Greene to new terms on App State’s board at its May 25 meeting. They will be sworn in at the September quarterly meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Ricks is a 1989 graduate of App State and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. Ricks had a 28-year career in the protective service industry, including his work as director of global protective operations at Mars Inc. in the Washington, D.C., metro area from 2005 to 2017. He is the owner of Double Wood Farm, an equestrian sanctuary for retired show horses, in Bluemont, Virginia. Ricks currently serves as vice chair of the board.

Sofield is a 1976 graduate of App State with a degree in physical education. He has served the local community as a board member of the Watauga County Economic Development Commission and the Board of Directors with First Citizens Bank. Sofield currently serves as board secretary.

Reaves currently serves as senior vice president at Truist Bank. Reaves is a 1993 graduate of App State’s Walker College of Business with a degree in finance and risk management. In 2005, Reaves graduated from American College with a master’s degree in financial services.

Greene graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in mechanical engineering. She owns Artisanal Restaurant in Banner Elk, opened in 2005, and Peppervine in Charlotte, opened in 2019. Before owning restaurants, Greene had a career as an engineer in Charlotte. This will be the first full term for Greene, who was appointed in 2022 to fill the remainder of a term vacated by John Blackburn, who was selected by Gov. Roy Cooper to fill a vacant seat on the State Board of Education.

At the board’s June 23 meeting, App State Student Body President J.P. Neri was sworn in to a one-year term on the board. Neri is a junior history major from Raleigh and a Chancellor’s Scholar.

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Board of Trustees

The Appalachian State University Board of Trustees is a 13-member body that promotes the development of the institution within the functions prescribed by the UNC Board of Governors. The board serves as advisor to the Board of Governors on matters pertaining to the university and also serves as advisor to the chancellor concerning the management and development of Appalachian. The powers and duties of the Board of Trustees are primarily defined and delegated by the Board of Governors. Individuals are appointed to four-year terms by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the UNC Board of Governors. Included as a voting member of the board is the president of Appalachian’s Student Government Association. The president of Appalachian’s Alumni Council and chairs of the Faculty Senate and Staff Senate serve as ex officio constituency representatives to the board.

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About Appalachian’s Board of Trustees

The Appalachian State University Board of Trustees is a 13-member body that promotes the development of the institution within the functions prescribed by the UNC Board of Governors. The board serves as advisor to the Board of Governors on matters pertaining to the university and also serves as advisor to the chancellor concerning the management and development of Appalachian. The powers and duties of the Board of Trustees are primarily defined and delegated by the Board of Governors. Individuals are appointed to four-year terms by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the UNC Board of Governors. Included as a voting member of the board is the president of Appalachian’s Student Government Association. The president of Appalachian’s Alumni Council and chairs of the Faculty Senate and Staff Senate serve as ex officio constituency representatives to the board. Learn more at http://chancellor.appstate.edu/bot.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.