Queens University Welcomes New Trustees
The board of trustees at Queens University of Charlotte has named eight new members to serve four-year terms effective July 1, 2022.
The new trustees are Jennifer DeWitt, senior program officer at The Leon Levine Foundation; Rob Engel, chairman of corporate and investment banking at Wells Fargo; Brian Natwick, chairman and chief executive officer of Crescent Communities; Manuel Rey, regional president of Ameris Bank; Andrea Smith, former chief administrative officer at Bank of America; Margi Vagell, senior vice president and general merchandise manager at Lowe’s; Derek Wang, founder and chief executive officer of Stratifyd; and Reggie Willis, chief diversity officer at Ally Financial.
“Queens will certainly benefit from the diverse experiences and backgrounds these new trustees bring. We look forward to the leadership they will provide as we continue moving forward with several strategic initiatives that will reposition the institution as a regional and national leader in higher education,” said board chair, Jeff Brown (JB), MBA ’03. “Our focus is expanding and enhancing the university’s reach through enhancements to the academic experience, DI athletics, and student support, and it’s exciting to build even more momentum by adding these committed corporate, civic, and community leaders to our board.”
DeWitt has long been an advocate for education and equity in the Charlotte community. She serves on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library Foundation’s board of directors, the Carolina Thread Trail Governing Board, and the Ready for School, Ready for Life Systems Building Committee. DeWitt holds an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Public Administration from Clemson University. Before joining The Leon Levine Foundation, she worked for Duke Energy supporting community affairs, philanthropic investments, and corporate communications.
A Princeton graduate, Engel has more than 35 years of international banking experience. Having grown up and worked in New Jersey, London, and New York City, Engel moved to Charlotte with his family 16 years ago to lead Wachovia’s M&A and Investment Banking business. Since then, in addition to chairing the Board at Opera Carolina, he has been helping to transform the future of the city of Charlotte through his leadership with Wells Fargo and his Board work with Charlotte Center City Partners. Committed to giving back, Engel also serves on the boards of the Thurgood Marshall Foundation, the Westminster Kennel Club Foundation, Princeton’s Ivy Club, and St. Paul’s School in London.
An MBA graduate of the McColl School of Business, Natwick has more than 25 years of real estate investment and development experience across the US. He joined Crescent Communities in 2006 and previously served as President of Multifamily and then as Chief Operation Officer before serving as Chairman & CEO. Natwick has served on the boards of the Queens McColl School of Business, Habitat for Humanity Charlotte (board chair), Apartment Life and Charlotte Christian School.
Rey was named North Carolina Banking Executive and region president for Ameris Bank in October 2020. He has served as president and chairman of the Board of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce and has worked with the executive committee of The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce as well as Atrium Healthcare System and the Foundation for the Carolinas. Rey holds a law degree from Latin American University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Smith recently retired from Bank of America after a successful 34-year career. For more than a decade, she served as a member of Bank of America’s executive management team and has been recognized by American Banker as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Banking.” A graduate of Southern Methodist University, Smith serves on the boards of numerous organizations, including PGA of America, Charlotte Sports Foundation, and HCA Healthcare.
As senior vice president and general merchandising manager at Lowe’s, Vagell is responsible for advancing Lowe’s merchandising strategy for Home Décor, including appliances, flooring, kitchen & bath, paint, and décor. Before joining Lowe’s in 2009, Vagell served in multiple positions at Victoria’s Secret Direct. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and is a graduate of Culver Academies. Vagell is vice-chair of the Lowe’s Foundation and serves as co-chair of Lowe’s disabilities business resource group, A.B.L.E.
Wang is the founder and chief executive officer of Stratifyd, a tech startup focused on an artificial intelligence-powered data analytics platform that analyzes and visualizes complex unstructured and structured data sets. From 2010 to 2019, he served as the associate director of the Charlotte Visualization Center in the College of Computing and Informatics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he earned his doctorate in computer science. Wang was honored by the Charlotte Business Journal in 2019 on their “40 Under 40” list and currently serves on the board at Discovery Place.
Willis leads all diversity and inclusion activities at Ally, including enhancing and implementing a diversity and inclusion framework, partnering with stakeholders across the organization and in the community, and ensuring all activities are coordinated and aligned with the overall corporate strategy. Before joining Ally in 2011, Willis held various leadership roles with Willis Towers Watson, Bank of America, and The Remi Group. Willis is a certified executive coach and holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from Queens University. He earned his undergraduate degree from the College of The Holy Cross. Willis serves on the board at the Dilworth Center and Dress for Success Charlotte.
Additionally, Bailey Patrick and Mary Anne (M.A.) Rogers returns for a new four-year term. Returning trustees Patrick, managing partner at MPV Properties, rejoined the board in 2018 after originally serving two four-year terms. He is very active in the Charlotte community, currently serving on the corporate board of Cato Corporation, the Board of Directors of the Carolina Thread Trail, and as a Trustee for the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. Rogers’ leadership service is extensive as well. She is an active community leader who works with The Nature Conservancy, the Mint Museum, and the Duke University James Rogers Energy Access Project. Her service with the Queens board began in 2009.
As the governing body of the university, the Queens University Board of Trustees safeguards the university’s mission and core values. The trustees oversee Queens’ fiscal and physical resources and ensure the university achieves its strategic goals.
View the full Board of Trustees listing.