Professional News

New UK Board of Trustees Members Sworn In

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 2, 2014) — Four new members of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees were sworn in Saturday, Aug. 30, in advance of the next Board of Trustees meeting Friday, Sept. 5.

The new members are Robert D. Vance, and alumni representative Cammie DeShields Grant, both recently appointed by Gov. Steve Beshear; student trustee Jake Ingram, who was elected Student Government president last spring; and Robert Grossman, faculty representative elected by his peers. Board of Trustees Chair Britt Brockman was also reappointed to the board by Gov. Beshear this summer.

An active member of the UK Alumni Association, Grant served as president of the group in 2011-2012 and continues to serve on the association's Board of Directors. She was president of the Clark County UK Alumni club and recipient of the UK Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award.  An educator and speech pathologist in communities in Kentucky and Georgia for more than 30 years, Grant resides in Clark County where she is active in several civic endeavors.

Grossman, a professor in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, came to UK in 1994 after earning his doctorate in organic chemistry from MIT. His research interests include organic synthesis, biochemistry of natural products and pedagogical software development, and he is the author of an organic chemistry textbook. Grossman has been active in the University Senate and in various college, departmental and university-level committees.

Ingram is a senior from Nicholasville, Kentucky, and is majoring in mechanical engineering with minors in business, economics and mathematics.  He has been involved in Student Government since his freshman year; he served as SGA vice-president last year and was elected president for the 2014-2015 year.  Ingram's other involvements include Sigma Chi fraternity, Wrap Up America service organization and serving as a tour guide at the UK Visitor Center.

Vance, a banker and businessman from Maysville, recently retired as secretary of the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, a position he held since December 2007.  Most of his career was spent in banking, serving as chairman or senior officer at banks in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.  In 2013, the Kentucky Executive Branch Ethics Commission presented Vance with the prestigious Livingston Taylor Ethics Award for outstanding achievement in promoting ethical conduct in the executive branch of state government.