CNA executive James R. Lewis elected Berea College trustee, David Shelton elected new board chair

The new chair Shelton, a Berea trustee since 2000, is the recently retired Senior Vice President of Real Estate, Engineering, and Construction for the Lowe’s companies.  Mr. Shelton was the vice president who led the team that built more than 100 Lowes stores every year throughout the United States.  A 1969 graduate of Berea College, he earned masters and doctorate degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Shelton succeeds M. Elizabeth Culbreth, former director of the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Administrative Appeals.  Culbreth has served on Berea’s Board of Trustees for 30 years, first as an alumni-elected trustee from 1978-84.  She was elected by the trustees to the board in 1985 and has served as board chair since 2002.  She will continue on the board as a member.

New trustee James Lewis is president and Chief Executive Officer for Worldwide Property and Casualty Operations with CNA, one of the largest commercial, property and casualty insurers in the United States, based in Chicago, Ill.   He joined CNA in 2001 as executive vice president of U.S. Insurance Operations.  Prior to that, Lewis was senior vice president of U.S. Field Operations at the St. Paul Companies, one of several positions he held with the company during his nine years with St. Paul/USFG.  His professional experience also includes 17 years with CIGNA , where he held positions in marketing, underwriting and management, and employment with Aetna Life and Casualty.

Lewis, who is a native of Somerset, Ky., graduated from Berea College with a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics.   He and his wife, Ernestine, reside in North Barrington, Ill.   Lewis is chairman of the board for CNA Surety.  Active in the greater Chicago area community, he serves on the boards of Metropolitan Family Services, ChicagoLand Chamber of Commerce and The Goodman Theater.

Lewis was elected to a six-year term on Berea’s Board, beginning July 1.  Current trustees Donna Hall and Dawneda Williams were re-elected to a six-year term through 2014.

In other action, the Board recognized three trustees who are retiring from the board.  Martin A. Coyle Jr., retired executive vice president and general counsel at TRW, Inc., served on Berea’s Board for 19 years, beginning in 1989.   Dr. Robert N. Compton is professor of chemistry and physics at the University of Tennessee and a collaborating scientist with Oak Ridge National Laboratory who was elected to the Board in 2002.  William R. Gruver, a trustee since 1995, is professor of management at Bucknell University and a former partner of Goldman Sachs, and Co.  All three retirees were honored at the May meeting.

Berea, the South’s first interracial and coeducational college, focuses on learning, labor, and service.  Berea charges no tuition, admitting only academically promising students, primarily from Appalachia, who have limited economic resources.  All students must work 10 hours weekly, earning money for books, room and board.