McAuliffe appoints local pastor to VCU Board

Photo by Sarah King
Gov. McAuliffe's latest BOV appointee is Rev. Tyrone Nelson, pastor of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church located at 14 W. Duval St. in Richmond's Jackson Ward. Photo by Sarah King
Photo by Sarah King
Gov. McAuliffe’s latest VCU Board appointee is Rev. Tyrone Nelson, pastor of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church located at 14 W. Duval St. in Richmond’s Jackson Ward. Photo by Sarah King

Andrew Crider, Contributing Writer

Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed the pastor of Richmond’s Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, Rev. Tyrone Nelson, to the VCU Board of Visitors on Oct. 23.

Nelson’s term is effective immediately and will expire on June 30, 2017. Nelson, a VCU alum, said he’s watched VCU grow since he was a student and he wishes to continue in that legacy.

“I want to continue to see VCU become the premier academic institution in Virginia,” Nelson said. “I feel like VCU is heading in a great direction so i’m just excited to go back to my alma mater and serve.”

Nelson replaces former Board member Nancy Everett, a VCU alum and member of the VCU School of Business Foundation, who resigned mid-term after accepting a different position managing VCU investments.

Former Gov. Bob McDonnell appointed Everett to the Board in 2013. In May of this year, the BOV established the VCU Investment Management Co. to provide internal investment consulting services to the university and health system.

Nelson’s appointment to the BOV was announced at the same time as six other appointments to various state positions, including the appointment of Gopinath Jadhav who will replace Nelson on the Board of Directors to the University Health system authority.

A Richmond native, Nelson received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from VCU at age 25 after working full time and attending Old Dominion University and J. Sargeant Reynolds community college. After graduating from VCU, Nelson pursued his Masters of Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

Nelson currently serves in a variety of public positions in Richmond including vice chairman of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors and a member of the Capital Region Airport Commission, The Richmond Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Baptist General Convention of Virginia.

According to Nelson, his career experiences thus far have supplied him the skills to effectively serve on the VCU Board.

Nelson said that his time on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors has given him necessary fiscal knowledge and his experience leading his church will help him better communicate with the community.

“I’m a pastor, so I know the importance of working with people,” Nelson said.

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