USA Board of Trustees Elects New Officers

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Posted on June 3, 2016

Bob Lowry

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The University of South Alabama Board of Trustees, at its meeting on June 3, elected officers for the next three-year term.  Kenneth O. Simon, a Birmingham attorney, was elected chair pro tempore, businessman James H. “Jimmy” Shumock of Mobile was elected vice chair and Arlene Mitchell, a Mobile philanthropist and civic volunteer, was elected secretary. 

A native Mobilian, Simon received his bachelor’s degree in history from USA in 1976, where he was the first African-American to be elected Student Government Association president.  He is presently a mediator/arbitrator with the Judicial Arbiter Group, for which he recently established a regional office in Birmingham.  Simon was appointed to the board in 2009 by Gov. Bob Riley, representing the state at large, and reappointed in 2014 by Gov. Robert Bentley.  He has served the board as vice chair since 2013. 

A certified public accountant, Shumock earned his bachelor’s degree in 1980 from USA’s Mitchell College of Business.  He is currently the chairman and chief executive officer of Thompson Holdings Inc., and Thompson Engineering Inc., a multidisciplined engineering design, environmental consulting, construction management and construction inspection firm.  Shumock was appointed to the board in 2010 by Gov. Riley for a state-at-large position, and has served as board secretary since 2013.

Mitchell was appointed to the board in 2007 by Gov. Riley to represent Mobile County, and was reappointed by Riley in 2010.  Mitchell, whose family has generously supported the University of South Alabama, attended the University of Pennsylvania.  She has served on numerous boards, including the board of directors of the Community Foundation of South Alabama, for which she served as president.  In 1997, the Arlene F. Mitchell Philanthropy Award was established in her honor by Mobile’s Senior Citizens Services.

As chair pro tempore, Simon replaces Dr. Steven P. Furr, a family medicine physician based in Jackson, Ala.  Since earning his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1976 and his doctor of medicine degree in 1981, both from USA, Furr has remained engaged with his alma mater, serving on the board since 2006, as the founding chair of the USA Children's & Women's Hospital Development Council and on USA’s 50th Anniversary Annual Fund Alumni Leadership Council.  He also spearheaded creation of the USA Board of Trustees Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provides a scholarship to each incoming freshman class’s top academic performer.

 

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