The community foundation concept that Colonel Francis Fries brought to Winston-Salem in 1919 included a critical role for community leaders. The Foundation's basic structure remains in force today, with the addition of professional staff to support day-to-day operations. The Winston-Salem Foundation is fortunate to have an extraordinarily dedicated and generous group of volunteers on its Foundation Committee.
The Winston-Salem Foundation Committee, the primary governing body of the Foundation, is currently comprised of the following members:
Simpson "Skip" O. Brown, Jr. is president of both the Triad and Tennessee regions for First Community Bancshares, Inc. He also serves on the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees and on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winston-Salem, CycleSafe, and the North Carolina Bankers Association. Prior community involvement includes service on the board of the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce. Brown was elected by the Committee in 2005.
John W. Burress, III was president of J. W. Burress, Inc. until he retired in 1997. He serves on the boards of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Triad Academy, ABC of N.C., Summit School, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust Executive Council, Hospice, and Senior Services, Inc. He has also served on many other boards in the community. He was elected by the Committee in 2003.
Rence Callahan is vice president and treasurer of Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce Architects. He currently serves as board chairman of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, community leader of the YMCA Pioneering Healthier Communities initiative, and board member of ECHO, Inc. He has also served on many other boards. He was appointed to the Committee in 2002 by the Mayor of Winston-Salem.
Peggy Carter is vice president of the Forsyth Medical Center Foundation. She is currently board chair of the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Winston-Salem Capital Campaign Coordinating Committee. She serves on the boards of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC-CH, the Children's Center for the Physically Handicapped, the Ronald McDonald House, and the Marshall B Bass Children's Fund. Prior board involvement includes the Urban League, Crosby Scholars, Forsyth County United Way, and Arts Council. Carter was elected by the Committee in 2005.
Robbie Chandler is complex sales manager and financial advisor with Merrill Lynch & Company. Chandler’s volunteer activities include serving as Bank of America’s Winston-Salem Arts Council Campaign Chair and coaching youth soccer through the YMCA of Northwest NC and the Optimist Club. Chandler, a graduate of Wofford College, was appointed to the Committee in 2010 by Bank of America.
Lynn Brenner Eisenberg has extensive volunteer experience with local, regional, and national organizations over the past 40 years. She serves on the executive committee of The Women's Fund of Winston-Salem, on the boards of SECCA, Summit School, Brenner Children's Hospital, and on the Board of Visitors for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She also serves on the board of The Women's Council of Forsyth Hospital Foundation. Eisenberg was appointed to the Committee in 2003 by the senior resident judge of the State Judicial District containing Forsyth County.
Robert E. Greene is senior executive vice president and manager of administration services for BB&T. He is also president of Branch Banking and Trust Company, BB&T Corporation's North Carolina subsidiary. Boards on which he serves or has served include the Board of Trustees of Wake Forest University, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, United Way of Forsyth County, Hospice Foundation of Winston-Salem, Board of Visitors at Winston-Salem State University, and !dealliance. He was appointed to the Committee by BB&T in 2003.
J. Andrews Hancock is president of Frank L. Blum Construction Company. He serves the community in many ways, including as a member of the Winston-Salem Rotary Club, a volunteer for the Samaritan Soup Kitchen, and as a board member of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority, Winston-Salem Business, Inc., and Winston-Salem Alliance. He is also a member of the BB&T local advisory board. Prior board involvement includes organizations such as Wake Forest University Health Sciences and the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the Committee in 2006 by the Board of County Commissioners.
Tommy L. Hickman is senior vice president of operations for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. He is currently co-chairing the capital campaign for Experiment in Self Reliance and previously served on the Arts Council board and chaired the Arts Council's Grant Panel for Arts in Education. He is a member of the Educational Foundation Board at the University of South Carolina and was awarded its Distinguished Young Alumnus Award in 2001. Hickman is also a member of the board of directors of Allegacy Federal Credit Union. He was appointed to the Committee in 2010 by The Winston-Salem Foundation Committee.
Kay Lord retired in 2004 as executive director/CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County. She has a long history of community involvement, including serving on the boards of Old Salem, the Community Care Center, and the Center for HomeOwnership as well as involvement with the Winston-Salem Rotary Club, the Cancer Patient Support Committee at WFU Baptist Medical Center, and the Wake Forest Alumni Association. She is also currently serving on the Board of Visitors at Wake Forest's Divinity School. Lord was appointed by the Clerk of Superior Court in 2005.
Janet P. Wheeler is a retired vice president of R.J. Reynolds and currently serves on the Kate B. Reynolds Poor and Needy Trust Board, Wachovia Bank Advisory Board, Senior Services Foundation Board, Black Philanthropy Initiative Advisory Committee, Network 2000 Charities Board, and St. Augustine’s College Board of Trustees. Wheeler previously served on the boards of Old Salem, Allegacy Federal Credit Union, the YWCA, and the Crosby Scholars Program, as well as on the United Way Campaign Cabinet. Wheeler was elected by the Committee in 2008.
Paul Wiles, president and chief executive officer of Novant Health, serves as a member of numerous boards, including the UNC School of Public Health Advisory Council, the Wachovia Bank Forsyth County Advisory Board, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Mr. Wiles also chairs the boards of the Healthcare Institute and the NCHA Center for Hospital Quality and Patient Safety Advisory Board. He was elected by the Committee in 2003.
Ralph Hanes Womble retired as chief executive officer of Hanes Companies in 2006. He serves on numerous community boards, including the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem Millennium Fund, Winston-Salem Alliance, Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, Downtown Arts District Association, and Winston-Salem Business Inc. He was appointed to the Committee by Wachovia in 2004.