AUSTIN – St. Edward’s University announced the following appointments to the Board of Trustees.

Roxann Thomas Chargois is the former executive director of the Austin Housing Authority, a former principal with Houston-based Chargois Investment and Insurance, and a former financial officer of JMC Auto Group, parent company of Pavilion Lincoln Mercury in Austin. Chargois earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Ill. and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Active in the Austin community, Chargois has served as president of the St. James’ Episcopal School Board and also has served on the boards of Laguna Gloria Art Museum, the Austin Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the National Charity League.

Donna Van Fleet, retired IBM executive, is an active speaker, mentor and advisor on technology and community development. Van Fleet earned a BS in mathematics from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. She has served on boards of the Girl Scouts Lone Star Council, the Long Center for the Performing Arts, Ballet Austin and the United Way Capital Area. She is president of the board of GENaustin (Girls Empowerment Network) and has served on academic advisory boards for the advisory School of Natural Sciences and the Graduate School of Management at St. Edward’s.

Kevin O’Connor, ’73, is an attorney in private practice in Miami, Fl. Previously, he served as president and managing partner of a law firm specializing in medical, insurance and malpractice defense, environmental law, and product liability. A former St. Edward’s University student body president, O’Connor graduated from St. Edward’s in 1973 with a BA in history. He holds a law degree from the University of Notre Dame. Along with his law practice, O’Connor served as council member and mayor of Miami Shores and was appointed to the Judicial Nominating Commission of Florida’s 3rd District Court of Appeal and the Florida Bar Standing Commission on Professionalism.

In other Board changes, Larry Franklin has replaced F. Gary Valdez, ’70, as treasurer, while Stephen Jones, MBA ’94, has replaced Greg Kozmetsky, ’70, as secretary. Both Vladez and Kozmetsky remain on the Board; however Sister Amata Miller, IHM, of St. Paul, Minn., has left the Board to assume a faculty position as professor of economics.

Founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, St. Edward’s University has been named as one of America’s Best Colleges for 2004 by U.S. News & World Report. St. Edward’s is a private Catholic, liberal arts university of approximately 4,450 students located in Austin, Texas.

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(Photographs are available upon request.)