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.

Sofield is a 1976 graduate of App State with a degree in physical education. He was captain of the 1975 Mountaineers football team, became a captain of industry and is a champion for his teammates, students and alma mater. Sofield and his family recently committed a gift in support of App State athletics facilities enhancements, including a new multipurpose indoor practice facility. The university’s current indoor athletic practice facility was supported by a lead gift made by the Sofield family in 2007. 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.

Harris graduated from App State in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration in accounting. He is currently the chief financial officer at RXO, a leading provider of asset-light transportation solutions. As a student-athlete at App State, he played baseball for the Mountaineers and was a member of the 1984 Southern Conference Championship team. He was also named to the All-Southern Conference and NCAA Academic All-America teams. Harris delivered the 64th Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished Lecture in April.

Everett has served App State in previous years as chair of the Yosef Club Advisory Board and as president of the App State Alumni Association. She and her husband, David Everett, own and operate two General Motors automotive dealerships in the Catawba Valley. Their children, Dave Everett II ’09 and Alexis Everett ’15, also attended App State. Additionally, the Everett family has established an endowment in the Beaver College of Health Sciences to honor Tamela’s daughter, a registered nurse, and her late mother, Maria Price Winkler-Hyams, who had a 46-year career in health care.

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.

Reaves currently serves as senior vice president at Truist Bank. He is a 1993 graduate of App State’s Walker College of Business with a degree in finance and risk management. In 2010, Reaves received the Young Alumni Award from App State Alumni Affairs, and he is a member of the Appalachian State University Foundation Board. Reaves earned his master’s degree in financial services from American College in 2005.

Shepherd previously served as chair of App State’s Board of Trustees and is a member of the Appalachian State University Foundation Board. Shepherd is chief executive officer of SkyLine Membership Corp., a telecommunications company headquartered in West Jefferson. She first began with SkyLine working part time in the repair service department and worked her way up to CEO. She graduated from App State in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics; Shepherd also holds a Master of Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University.