Board of Trustees

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Emeriti:

Benjamin H. Allen 1985-2015
James A. Bennett 1985-2011
Ralph K. Bennett 1977-2002
George W. BonDurant 1948-1986
Hilton O. Chesson 1962-1990
C. Meredith Fisher 1962-1979
William A. Griffin 1986-2006
John H. Hufton 1982-1990
Gene M. Langley 1990-2018
Henry Clay Owney 1958-2004
Charles G. Presley 1977-2005
Harry W. Pritchett 1950-1979
David E. Rhodes 1959-1989
Marvin E. Rose 1962-1999
Redden E. Shavender 1950-1976
Kenneth C. Swain 1958-1989
Harold C. Turner, Sr 1948-1985
Rebecca Turner West 1989-2009
Pattie A. Wilkinson 1950-1960
Guy Woolard 1967-1992

GINNY GIBBS AMBROSE

graduated from RBC in 1994 with a B.S. in Christian Education. She returned to Columbia, NC, to complete her student teaching and began teaching at Tyrrell Elementary in 1995. In 2001, Ginny began teaching at Creswell, where she taught for 15 years before moving to Hertford, where she has been for the past 3 years. Ginny has taught kindergarten and 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grades, as well as the Academically and Intellectually Gifted and students in Special Ed. In 2007, Ginny obtained National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification in Early Childhood Generalist and in 2008 a Masters degree from Grand Canyon University in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading.  In 2016, she renewed her National Board certification and in 2018 an add-on licensure for Administration:  Principal.  In 2017 Ginny was named Dean of Students for Perquimans Central School and in 2019 named Assistant Principal for the school. Ginny married Ron Ambrose in 1996 at Cabin Swamp Church of Christ, where they served in music ministry and Ron served as a deacon. Since 2018 they have attended Philippi Church of Christ and serve in the music ministry. They have two daughters, Cara and Callee.

Board Member since 2019
Academics Committee

MARK COFFEY

is the son of Malcolm and Wilma Coffey, lifetime missionaries to Italy. He is a graduate (BA and MA) of Cincinnati Christian University and has been a teen curriculum editor at Standard Publishing Company (1977-82), and served as an Associate Minister at South Lansing Church of Christ in Lansing, Michigan (1982-1986). He has held two preaching ministries — one in Arcadia, Indiana (1986-2003) and another with Mechanicsville Church of Christ in Mechanicsville, Virginia (2003-June 2020). In his retirement, Mark is actively involved in health coaching; he also is available for supply preaching and interim ministries with churches. Mark is married to his bride of 44+ years, Pam, and they currently reside in Henrico, Virginia. They have twin sons, both married, and eight grandchildren.

Board Member since 2019
Institutional Advancement Committee

LARRY D. COOPER, D.V.M

is a native of Pantego, NC, and grew up in the Union Grove Church of Christ. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1976 and owns and operates Pasquotank Animal Hospital in Elizabeth City. He is a member and elder at Journey Christian Church in Elizabeth City. Dr. Cooper and his wife, the former Patsy Sawyer ’70, reside in Elizabeth City and have four children and seven grandchildren.

Board Member since 2010
Institutional Advancement Committee, Chair

JOHN S. COX

is a Certified Economic Developer and a Certified Chamber of Commerce Executive who had a twenty-five-year career as a Chamber of Commerce Executive, leading chambers in Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. He has also ministered as a youth pastor, a senior pastor, and a statewide evangelist. In 2001, his family joined Connect Christian Church in Concord, NC, where he served on the Board of Elders, as Chairman of the Elders, and as Chair of the Pastor Search Committee in 2009-2010. From 2016 to 2021 he served the congregation as Executive Pastor. John is a graduate of Lincoln Christian University (Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Education) and Lincoln Christian Seminary (Master of Divinity in New Testament) and has completed the course work for the Doctor of Ministry degree in leadership. He and his wife, Deanna, have two married children and three granddaughters.

Board Member since 2019
Enrollment Committee

DONALD P. CUMMINS

was born in Olney, Illinois. He attended and graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He and his wife, Martha Jo, were married for 54 years. On October 22, 2017, Martha passed away and went to be with the Lord. He is a father and grandfather and enjoys spending time with his family. For forty-five years, he served in a variety of corporations as a Professional Engineer. He lived in a variety of cities and states working for companies such as Caterpillar, Cabot Corporation, Valero Refining, Champlin Refining, Saudi Aramco, and Citgo. His religious faith was formed and nurtured in the a cappella Churches of Christ. He retired in 2002 and in 2006 moved to Hertford, North Carolina, where he and Martha began to attend the Towne South Church of Christ in Elizabeth City. In 2008 the couple moved their membership to Towne South, where he is an active member enthusiastically serving Jesus Christ.

Board Member since 2018
Institutional Advancement Committee

ROYCE E. EVERETTE

is a native of Greenville, NC, and was baptized while attending Plymouth Church of Christ. He graduated from Milligan College in 1983 with a BS degree in Business. He is President of Time Investment Corporation, which is located in Greenville, NC. He and his wife, Bonnie, were married in 1985, and they have three children: Blanton, Spencer, and Hope. In 2011 Bonnie and Royce joined Friends in Fellowship Christian Church of Winterville, NC, where he serves as an elder. His interests include supporting ministries that promote Christ’s Kingdom, serving his church, politics, relaxing at the beach, fishing and bird hunting.

Board Member since 2012
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Vice Chair Finance Committee

DARRELL L. HAIRSTON

is a native of Lexington, NC. He graduated from MACU in 1991 and from Virginia Union University’s Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology (M.Div., 2012). He was ordained in 1995 at North 35th Street Church of Christ, Louisville, KY, where he served ten years. Under the oversight of the Eastern NC Christian Men’s Fellowship, he and his family moved to Elizabeth City to plant Rehoboth Victory Christian Church, which he served until its closing in 2012. For the past four years he has served Washington Shores Church of Christ in Orlando, FL, where he has focused on connecting the church to the community and its needs. He has spoken at the university and taught and preached with President Perkins. He met his future wife and partner in ministry, Caprice Jones ‘92, at MACU. He and Caprice, who served as a trustee six years, have one child, Destiny.

Board Member since 2017
Academics Committee

GREGORY D. HAND

grew up in Eden, NC, in the Leaksville Christian Church. While a student at MACU, he served as youth minister with the West Park Church of Christ in Portsmouth, VA. He began a student ministry at Gum Neck Church of Christ in Columbia, NC, which continued following his graduation in 1984. In April of 1985, Greg began his current ministry with Pleasant Hill Christian Church in Gasburg, VA. Along with being the senior minister, he sings in a men’s quartet and the choir and teaches an adult Sunday school class. He is married to the former Tammy Hall ex’84, who is Assistant Principal for Greensville County Elementary School. They have three children (Lynn White ’02, Robert, and Matt) and seven grandchild. Greg enjoys fishing and golf.

Board Member since 1997
Student Life Committee

CONNIE MORRIS JENKS

grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia and attended Cherry Avenue Christian Church under the great leadership of Ralph Carter. She attended MACU and graduated in 1987 with a B.A. in Christian Education. A year later she was accepted into Old Dominion University’s graduate program in counseling. Since earning her master’s degree, she has been in various counseling and teaching roles until opening her own practice in Mechanicsville, Virginia, in 2012, Grapevine Counseling and Therapy. She is now a Care Coordinator for Magellen Health. Connie currently attends Mechanicsville Church of Christ, where her husband, Paul, is an elder. She is extremely grateful for her education from MACU and to Dr. Melvin Styons for his mentorship in the counseling field that led her to her life’s work as a licensed professional counselor.

Board Member since 2018
President, Alumni Association
Student Life Committee

LARRY M. KING, JR.

a native of Brooklyn, NY, served 30 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel. He is a graduate of Iowa State (B.S.) and of Boston University and U.S. Naval War College (master’s degrees). His deployments included Grenada, Lebanon, Kosovo, Somalia, and Iraq. He also served in the United Kingdom as an exchange pilot. After military retirement he served as a Senior Joint Warfighting Analyst and is currently employed by AVMAC LLC as Director of Operations, overseeing Department of Defense contracts conducting aviation maintenance and ship repair throughout the U.S. Larry is chairman of the elders at Real Life Christian, Chesapeake, Virginia, and an adjunct faculty member for USMC College of Distance Education and Training. In his community he serves on the board of directors for both the Hampton Roads Chapter, Military Officers Association of America and the Victoria Park Homeowner’s Association in Virginia Beach. He and his wife, Michele, have three adult children and one grandchild.

Board Member since 2021
Institutional Advancement Committee

J. CRAIG LEWIS

grew up in the Richmond, Virginia, area and at Fairmount Christian Church, where he was immersed as a young teen. His faith walk has included serving as a deacon, an elder, a Sunday School teacher, and a small group leader. Craig holds degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University (bachelor, MBA). He has spent his career in finance, rising to Chief Finance Officer at Valley Health in Virginia and at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, the local hospital, from which he retired in July 2017. He has served on numerous boards and committees. He and his wife, the former Sharon Joyner, are members of Towne South Church of Christ in Elizabeth City and divide their time between Elizabeth City and Winchester, Virginia. They have three adult children, all Christians. Craig enjoys boating, flying, hunting, physical fitness, and studying the Bible and U.S. history.

Board Member since 2017
Finance Committee

JOHN W. MAURICE, JR.

is a native of Roanoke Rapids, NC, and a graduate of Mid-Atlantic (1978). He was ordained into ministry at First Christian Church in Roanoke Rapids in 1977 and held ministries at Arthur Christian Church (Bell Arthur, NC) and Broad Creek Christian Church (New Bern, NC). He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Cincinnati Christian Seminary and upon graduation became the minister of Twin Tiers Christian Church in Painted Post, NY. He was commissioned as a Navy Chaplain in 1989 and served a variety of tours with the Navy and Marine Corps during a twenty-five-year military career. He served afloat aboard USS Savannah (AOR-4), USS Saipan (LHA-2), and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). Chaplain Maurice served as the Deputy Director for Pastoral Care at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (Virginia). He retired from the Navy in December of 2013 and began his new role as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Mid-Atlantic Christian on January 1, 2014. In 2017 he became Interim President, and on May 3, 2018, was inaugurated as the fourth president of Mid-Atlantic Christian University. He is married to Sherry, and the couple has two children (Michael Maurice and Katelyn Berry) and six grandchildren.

Board Member since 2017 by virtue of office
MACU President

DYKE McCORD

is Associate Director of Waypoint Church Partners, an organization that supports existing churches and helps plant new churches in the mid-Atlantic region. Previously he served in long-term local church ministries in Ohio and Maryland. Dyke comes from a long line of Restoration church preachers. His father was a senior minister for over 30 years in Kansas and served as president of the North American Christian Convention. Both grandfathers, his paternal grandmother, and several uncles have also served in Christian churches across the country. Dyke is a graduate of Milligan University, served as president of Ohio Teens for Christ and the Eastern Christian Convention, and has served on multiple church plant management teams through Restoration House Ministries in New England and through Waypoint in the Carolinas.  He and his wife, Sarah Beth, live in Garner, North Carolina, and have two grown sons, Isaac, who is married and working in the film industry, and Silas, a current student at Johnson University.

Board Member since 2021
Enrollment Committee

DAVID B. PRESLEY

is a Florida native and Timothy of the Plymouth Avenue Christian Church in De Land. He retired from Citi as a Quality Analyst. He served as military chaplain for 20 years in the Tennessee State Guard retiring at the rank of Colonel. David graduated from MACU in 1984 and went on to earn a M.Ed. from The College of William & Mary, MA from Johnson University, and D.Min. from The Howard University School of Divinity. In addition to serving churches in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, and Tennessee, David served as a trustee for Eastern Christian College in Bel Air, MD, from 1990 to 1993. He is also a past president of the MACU Alumni Association. David is married to the former Ivy Brothers who is also an alumnus of MACU. Together they are involved in short-term missions trips to Rwanda and Indonesia. David’s eldest son, father, mother, sister, and several cousins are also MACU graduates.

Board Member since 2016
Academics Committee

DARYL REED

Daryl’s passion for preaching was fanned into flame during his college years at Western Illinois University. For over a quarter century, Daryl has labored in Christian ministry in several states: Michigan, Illinois, California, Ohio, and Washington, DC. Since 2003 Daryl has served as Lead Minister of DC Regional Christian Church in the Washington metropolitan area. Being the grandson of a church of Christ preacher, Daryl appreciates his deep Restoration Movement roots. Considering himself to be a bridge-builder, Daryl loves to promote unity amongst believers to advance the gospel. Daryl has served on several executive committees for Christian conferences and conventions — including Vice President of the North American Christian Convention in 2013 and President of the Eastern Christian Conference in 2017. Daryl and his wife, Charon, have three sons — Cameron, Harrison, and Wynston.

Board Member since 2016
Student Life Committee

 

JONITA D. SHOAFF

served on the Mid-Atlantic Foundation board three years before being elected to the Board of Trustees. She is the daughter of the late Eastern Christian College President and Mrs. J. T. and Addie Maye Segroves (1960-79), and thus has a deep connection with ECC and the Northeast. Her current employment and activities include conference coordinator for the Academy of Finance (a high school program); and program coordinator for Harford Community College at the W.A.G.E. Connection. She has received the Soroptimist award for “women who make a difference” and is a “Distinguished Toastmaster,” the highest award of Toastmasters International. She is active in Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, MD. Jonita has two children, one of whom is a MACU graduate.

Board Member since 2012
Student Life Committee, Chair

 

W. KEITH TANKARD

is a financial consultant and president and owner of Coastal Financial Services, Inc. in Bath, NC. He is a graduate of East Carolina University, earning a BS in 1976 and an MA in Education in 1977. For nine years he worked for Farm Credit Service, rising to vice president and manager of a branch office. He is a lifelong member of Athens Chapel Church of Christ in Bath, where his areas of service include teaching, drama, finance, outreach, and serving as an elder. He and Yvonne have three children and nine grandchildren. His passions are his Lord, his wife and family, his ministries and church family, and ECU Pirate football.

Board Member since 1992
Finance Committee, Chair

STEPHEN D. “STEVE” WILEY

grew up in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area and attended Old Dominion University, earning a BS degree in business in 1981. He has been in the global logistics and supply chain industry since 1985. In 1999 he and his wife, Roberta, founded what is now Global Cargo, Inc. (aka Transgroup Global Logistics). TGL specializes in tactical and high security cargo logistics providing high security transportation services for conflict support material (i.e. armored vehicles, weapons, ammunition, body armor, night-vision, explosives, etc.). His business locations and partnerships in war-worn, hostile conflict regions, and often in disaster areas from both natural and terrorist type situations have put them in a unique position that has opened doors for new ministry opportunities, missions, foreign church support, and disaster relief around the world. He has continued to serve as President and CEO of the company and has led his operation with a primary focus – to bring glory to God and lift high the name of Christ. The Wileys reside in Chesapeake, VA, and have four children, and six grandchildren. They are active at West Park Church of Christ, Portsmouth, VA, where he serves as Chairman of the Board of Deacons and as a Church Trustee.

Board Member since 2016
Institutional Advancement Committee