{"id":19,"date":"2024-10-30T13:38:11","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T13:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/?page_id=19"},"modified":"2026-11-08T02:31:42","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T02:31:42","slug":"members","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/members\/","title":{"rendered":"MTSU Governing Board"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"J.B.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

J.B. Baker<\/strong> is CEO and owner of Sprint Logistics. He attended Martin Junior College and earned his bachelor\u2019s from MTSU. He is the former owner and chairman of the board for Volunteer Express and Associated Companies, having worked at the company for 30 years. He has served on a number of professional and civic boards, including Martin Methodist College, Goodwill Industries, Saint Thomas Hospital Health Services Fund, and the Nashville Symphony.  Baker was awarded Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award by the MTSU Jennings A. Jones College of Business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"J.B.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jeff Ballard<\/strong> serves as President and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. A lifelong resident of Middle Tennessee, he is actively involved in the community, serving on the boards of the Governor\u2019s Early Literacy Foundation, Pinson Hospital Hospitality House, and the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl. Jeff is a proud graduate of MTSU, earning a bachelor\u2019s degree in Business Administration \u2013 Accounting in 1993. He was recognized as the Joe M. Rodgers Spirit of America Award recipient in 2022 by the Jennings A. Jones College of Business and is a member of the MTSU Accounting Advisory Board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Tom<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thomas R. \u201cTom\u201d Boyd<\/strong> is an investment advisor representative with Decker Wealth Management in Nashville. With more than four decades of experience in financial management and banking, he previously served as a senior vice president at Bank of America. Boyd graduated from MTSU with a Bachelor of Science degree, holds an M.B.A., and previously served with the Tennessee Army National Guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"John<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

John Floyd<\/strong> is the President of Ole South Properties, Tennessee’s largest home builder. Ole South builds throughout Middle Tennessee. Since 1987, Ole South Properties has built over 16,000 homes. Floyd was recognized in 2007 as the Homebuilder of the Year by the Tennessee Homebuilders Association. He was honored as the 2015 Business Legend by the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. In 2023, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters degree from MTSU. He is also very active in the community, donating time and money to many charitable organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Jimmy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jimmy Granbery<\/strong> is a fourth-generation family member of 130-year-old H.G. Hill Company. He serves as chair of the board and CEO for H.G. Hill Realty Company where he oversees the company\u2019s privately held real estate portfolio.  He is involved in various civic organizations, including vice chair of the East Bank Development Authority and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.  He is also currently active on the boards of the Nashville Zoo and the Board of Trustees for Middle Tennessee State University. Jimmy previously served as a commissioner and chair for Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission, chair of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, and served on the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) board from 2011-2018. Jimmy received his BBA from Ole Miss in 1979 and lives in Nashville with his wife, Jamie. They have two children and five grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Chad<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jeff Hollingshead<\/strong> serves as Chief Executive Officer of SRM Concrete, leading the company\u2019s strategic vision, growth, and nationwide operations. His leadership in acquisitions, integration, and customer service has helped SRM become the nation\u2019s largest ready-mix concrete producer while preserving its core values of service, reliability, and community. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Belmont University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Having grown up in the business, he brings hard work, humility, and a people-first approach to his leadership. Guided by his faith, he supports numerous charitable and community initiatives. He and his wife, Holly, have three children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Bill<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

William S. \u201cBill\u201d Jones<\/strong> is a 1982 graduate of MTSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science.  A nearly life-long resident of Murfreesboro, he has been in the financial services industry since graduation.  He currently serves as Area Executive for Pinnacle Financial Partners with responsibilities for Rutherford and Bedford counties with over 30 years with Pinnacle and its predecessor. Currently he serves as the Chairman of the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board, as Chairman of the Ascension\/St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital Board and as a member and past Chairman of the Christy-Houston Foundation in Murfreesboro.  He also serves as a past President of the MTSU Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Kari<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kari Neely, Faculty Trustee, <\/strong>received her doctorate in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan and is currently an associate professor at MTSU where she teaches courses on the Arabic language, international literature with a specific emphasis on the Middle East, and the intersection of language and culture. Her research explores the polyvocality of visual narratives focusing on the use of the Arabic language in comics and graphic novels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout her eighteen years at MTSU, Dr. Neely has had the opportunity to serve on numerous university committees including the Incentive Pay Committee, Faculty Sick Leave, General Education, Executive Computer Committee, and University Planning. Additionally, Dr. Neely has been a board member of the Popular Arts Conference since 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Steve<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stephen B. Smith, Chair,\u00a0<\/strong>serves as Chairman of Haury and Smith Contractors Inc.\u00a0 He has served on a number of boards including Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati; Nashville Planning Commission; and Chairman of the Nashville Park Board.\u00a0 \u00a0Currently, he serves on the boards of Capstar Bank and Williamson County Sports Authority.\u00a0 Smith received his Bachelors of Science degree from MTSU in 2011.\u00a0 He was elected to MTSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004, and received the Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award in 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Christine<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Christine Karbowiak<\/strong> Vanek, Vice Chair, <\/strong>retired from her roles as Chief Administrative Officer,  Chief Risk Officer, Executive Vice President, and Vice Chair – board of directors of Bridgestone Americas Inc., as well as her Executive Officer and Executive Vice President roles with Bridgestone Corporation, effective January 1, 2021.   She is active in community organizations and has served on numerous boards including the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan America Society of Tennessee, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Franklin American Music City Bowl (now known as the Transperfect Music City Bowl). She has received a number of recognitions for her civic work and she recently was conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette by the Government of Japan for her work to strengthen Tennessee-Japan relations over the past nearly three decades.  She holds bachelor\u2019s and law degrees from the University of Illinois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"RJ<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

RJ Ware, Student Trustee,<\/strong> is a recent graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with a minor in Criminal Justice Administration. As an undergraduate, he held numerous student leadership positions, including Freshman Council President, Senator, Chair of Academic Affairs, Speaker Pro Tempore, Vice President, Speaker of the Senate, and Freshman Council Director. During the 2025\u20132026 academic year, he served as MTSU\u2019s 94th Student Body President. He also served as Treasurer of the American Democracy Project and as a Blue Elite Campus Tour Guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May 2026, he received the Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award, a statewide honor presented by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission recognizing exceptional community service and civic engagement among Tennessee college students. He was also awarded MTSU\u2019s Trailblazer Legacy Award, which recognizes a graduating senior who has made a lasting impact on the university community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

R.J. is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Secondary Education. While completing his graduate studies, he will serve as a graduate assistant in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Chad<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chad White<\/strong> currently serves as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE: BKD), the nation’s premier operator of senior living communities, with 645 communities across 41 states as of June 30, 2025.  In April 2025, Mr. White was also appointed to serve as a member of Brookdale\u2019s Office of the CEO until a permanent Chief Executive Officer is appointed by the Company\u2019s Board of Directors. Before joining Brookdale, Mr. White served in legal roles with Dollar General Corporation and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC.   Mr. White is a proud graduate of MTSU, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication and Political Science, summa cum laude, in 1997. After graduating from MTSU, he received his law degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Law in 2000, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He currently serves on the board of directors for Argentum, a national trade association for the senior living industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

J.B. Baker is CEO and owner of Sprint Logistics. He attended Martin Junior College and earned his bachelor\u2019s from MTSU. He is the former owner and chairman of the board for Volunteer Express and Associated Companies, having worked at the company for 30 years. He has served on a number of professional and civic boards, including […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-bannernosidebar.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-19","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":778,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19\/revisions\/778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/bot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}