WVU Foundation elects 3 new board members

The West Virginia University Foundation welcomed three dedicated Mountaineers to its Board of Directors following recent elections.

The new board members include:

Dr. James "Jim" Anderson, of Aurora, Ohio, is a 1986 graduate of the WVU School of Dentistry, where he served as class president and was a scholarship football player for the Mountaineers. A recently retired general dentist and owner of Tree City Dental in Kent, Ohio, for 39 years, Anderson has devoted significant time to community service, including leadership with the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland, and volunteer work providing free dental care to hundreds of children through TeamSmile and the Cleveland Guardians. His commitment to service and support of the WVU School of Dentistry earned him recognition as a member of the Pylons Alliance Leadership Society.

Gary LeDonne, of Sarasota, Florida, retired from Ernst & Young LLP in 2014 after serving as East Central Region tax managing partner. Following his retirement, he joined the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics as an Executive in Residence and taught federal income tax courses until 2023. A 1985 WVU graduate, LeDonne earned a Master of Professional Accountancy degree from the University and remains actively involved as past chair of the Chambers College Visiting Committee and a member of the Accounting Department Advisory Council.

Robert "Bob" Contraguerro Jr., of Triadelphia, serves as vice president of Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration. Recognized nationally for his expertise in restoration and mold remediation, he became the youngest certified restorer and youngest certified mold professional in the industry. Contraguerro is a dedicated supporter of WVU Medicine Golisano Children's.

New officers include Natalie F. Bush ('88,'90), who was elected to serve as secretary/ treasurer; Melissa S. Simpson, WVU Foundation chief financial officer and treasurer; and Jim Bethea, WVU Foundation chief investment officer and assistant treasurer.

J. Wayne Richards will serve his second and final year as chair and Penelope "Penni" F. Roll will serve her second and final year as vice chair of the WVU Foundation Board of Directors.

"We are excited to welcome our new board members and continue building on the positive momentum happening at WVU under President Michael T. Benson's leadership," Richards said.

Other members reelected to a three-year term were Bush, Michael Escue ('92,'98), Valentina Grossi ('90,'93), Spencer Cavalier ('91), Kevin Given, Travis Rosiek ('03,'05), Jo Ann Shaw ('86), and Erika Cramer ('90).

The WVU Foundation is governed by the Board of Directors elected by its members. There are 27 Board members. All serve without compensation.

The mission of the WVU Foundation, founded in 1954, is to enrich the lives of those touched by West Virginia University by maximizing charitable support and providing services to the University, its students and affiliated organizations.

To learn more about the Foundation and how you can support WVU, visit wvuf.org.

-WVU-

la/7/27/26

MEDIA CONTACT: Lori Abshire
Senior Associate Vice President, Strategic Marketing and Communications
WVU Foundation
304-284-4077; [email protected]

Call 1-855-WVU-NEWS for the latest West Virginia University news and information from WVUToday.