The Christian Brothers University Board of Trustees has announced the election of its new officers and welcomes three new members for the 2023-2024 Academic Year.
Emily Sawyer Greer assumes the position of Chair of the Board of Trustees, having previously served as Vice Chair. Greer has served on the CBU Board since 2012 and holds a BS in Marketing and Management from CBU (Class of 1984). She retired from her position as Chief Administrative Officer of ALSAC in 2021, after 30 years as an executive leader for the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She has also served on the boards of the Greater Memphis Chamber, the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, Compass Community Schools, Ronald McDonald House of Memphis and LeMoyne-Owen College.
“As an alumna of Christian Brothers University, I have been especially honored to serve on its Board of Trustees for the past decade,” Greer said. “I look forward to working closely with President Archer and the other trustees as we continue to fulfill CBU’s Lasallian mission and to find new and even better ways to enrich the lives and minds and hearts of our students.”
Greer will replace Louis “Bo” Allen, who has served as Chair since 2021. Allen joined the CBU Board in 2013 and was scheduled to end his service at the end of this academic year, but the Committee on Trustees resolved to extend his term of service for an additional year. In a statement announcing the extension, the Committee said, “The Committee is deeply grateful for the many years of service of Board Chair Bo Allen. Bo has led the Board with a strong spirit and a calm demeanor through some incredible challenges for the University.”
Michael Keeney will move into the position of Vice Chair, having served as Treasurer since 2021. Keeney has been managing shareholder at the Memphis office of the Lewis Thomason Law Firm since 2014. He joined the law firm of Thomason, Hendrix, Harvey Johnson & Mitchell, PLLC, as an associate in 1993 and later served as partner and managing partner. He practices law in the area of civil litigation, handling matters in state, federal, and appellate courts. He has also served on the boards of Orgill, Inc., BankTennessee, the Central Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, West Clinic Foundation and the Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority.
“I am excited to step into this new position and to be able to assist Emily and the other members of the Board of Trustees as we build upon CBU’s tradition of academic excellence and its promise to the students of today and future generations,” Keeney said.
Paul J. Posey Jr. will serve as Treasurer for the CBU Board. Posey has been a CBU trustee since 2015 and holds a BA in History and Political Science from CBU (Class of 1989), a law degree from the University of Memphis, and an MBA from CBU (Class of 2008). He is currently Chief Executive Officer of Robin Healthcare in Berkley CA and was previously employed as CEO of Ascension Care Management and President of Ascension Risk Services, which are subsidiaries of Ascension Health Alliance, the world’s largest Catholic health system. He has also served on the boards of Leadership Memphis and the Workers Compensation Research Institute and on the Bishop’s Advisory Council of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis.
Cathy Ross will remain in the position of Secretary of the Board. Ross has been a member of the CBU Board since 2017 and holds a BS in Accounting from CBU (Class of 1978). She retired from FedEx Express in 2014, after a 30-year career during which she was responsible for the company’s worldwide financial affairs, and was a five-time recipient of the FedEx Express Five Star Award, the company’s top employee honor. She has also served as a board member for the Women’s Foundation of Greater Memphis, the Memphis Food Bank, the National Civil Rights Museum and the Child Advocacy Center.
After consideration of their respective experience and commitment to the Lasallian values of the university, the CBU Board of Trustees also elected three new Trustees — Brother David Poos, Brother Patrick Conway and Robert Hall — to join the Board for a three-year term beginning with the Academic Year 2023-2024.
Brother David Poos has been the president of Christian Brothers High School since 2019, where he directs and supports the work of the school’s Principal, Controller, Advancement Team, Admissions Team, Marketing and Communications, and Human Resources. After joining the Christian Brothers in June of 1972, Brother David served his postulancy and completed his BA at CBU (Class of 1976). Prior to his position at CBHS, he has served as a teacher and administrator at Lasallian schools in St. Louis, MO; Paducah, KY; Cincinnati, OH; and Tulsa, OK.
Brother Patrick Conway is the Director of McLaughlin Social Justice Institute and former Vice President for Mission and Identity at CBU. He has previously served as Vice President for Advancement at Cretin-Durham Hall high school in St. Paul, MN and a professor and administrator at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, as well as the Director of the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program/Vocations for the De La Salle Christian Brothers-Midwest District. He has also served on the boards of Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Lewis University, and Christian Brothers College in St. Louis, MO.
Robert Hall is a graduate of Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock and earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering at CBU (Class of 1990). Upon graduating, Robert joined the family business, Hall Manufacturing in North Little Rock, and was named president of the company in 2002. In 2005, he purchased Hall Tank Company, a business that was founded in 1952 by his grandfather. He then founded the Hall Group, which is now the parent company for Hall Manufacturing, Hall Tank Company, and Hall Logistics (a small trucking company).
“We are delighted to welcome these new members to our Board of Trustees,” CBU President David Archer stated. “Each of them is gifted with unique expertise and experience, and they truly embody our values of faith, service and community. I am confident that they will provide valuable guidance for the future of our mission and our university.”
The members of the Board of Trustees constitute the legal Directors of Christian Brothers University with general responsibility for management of the University in keeping with its philosophy and purposes. The Board sustains the mission of the university within the traditions of the Christian Brothers, selects the President, approves the budget and the educational program, confers honorary degrees, and institutes and promotes major fundraising efforts of the university.