The Vanderbilt University Board of Trust elected a slate of new trustees during its annual spring meeting in early May. William H. "Hal" Hess, JD'90, Keith Hoogland, BA'82, and John Ingram, MBA'86, will serve five-year terms beginning July 1. Ingram has already served on the board for a total of 20 years, with his first tenure from 2003 to 2013 and again from 2014 to 2024. Allison "Allie" Hall Eagles, BA'16, will serve a two-year term as the young alumni trustee. The young alumni trustee program allows a recent graduate of any of Vanderbilt's undergraduate, graduate and professional schools to serve one two-year term on the Board of Trust and bring their fresh perspective to the board.
"As we celebrate John's return and welcome Hal, Keith and Allie to the Board of Trust, I am filled with optimism for the future of Vanderbilt University," Board of Trust Chairman Bruce R. Evans, BE'81, said. "Their passion for excellence will enrich our mission and propel us forward. Each has proud ties to Nashville, demonstrating Vanderbilt's close relationship and deep commitment to our city. The board looks forward to working with our new members as we strive to enhance our impact in education and research, ensuring Vanderbilt continues to thrive as a leader in the 21st century."
The board also reelected Adena Friedman, MBA'93, and Cindy Kent, MBA'99, MDiv'01, to second five-year terms. In addition, the board elected outgoing board member Alex Taylor, BS'97, as trustee emeritus, and Peter Marshall, BA'14, was recognized for his laudable contributions on the board upon the completion of his young alumni trustee term. Somto Okoye, BE'19, will serve the second year of her two-year term as young alumni leader after a voluntary one-year leave of absence.
"Our new trustees join at a time when the strong leadership and steady counsel of board members could not be more valuable," Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. "As universities navigate greater challenges and scrutiny, Vanderbilt's Board of Trust has shown unwavering commitment to the values and principles that have guided us for generations. I am deeply grateful to have another term of service from John. I welcome Hal, Keith and Allie wholeheartedly, and I thank all our trustees for their continued dedication and service to Vanderbilt."
MEET THE NEW TRUSTEES
Hal Hess, JD'90, is a private investor and the co-founder and executive director of Paradigm Infrastructure Limited, a company focused on the development, ownership and operation of wireless communications infrastructure in emerging markets. Hess served as the executive vice president of international operations and president for the Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa operations of American Tower Corp. until 2019.
Prior to American Tower Corp., Hess was a partner in the corporate finance group at King & Spalding in Atlanta and New York City, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters for telecommunications and infrastructure companies. Hess also practiced as a certified public accountant with Arthur Young & Co. in Louisville, Kentucky, before attending Vanderbilt Law School.
Hess is an active member of the community and fervent supporter of the arts, having served on the boards of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; Make-a-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island; WBUR (Boston NPR affiliate); American Friends Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie; Montserrat College of Art; Vanderbilt Law School and The Harpeth Hall School.
Keith Hoogland, BA'82, is the CEO of Highland Ventures, a national venture management company focused on strategically developing and operating retail businesses centered around their real estate. After graduating from Vanderbilt, Hoogland joined his father's business, Family Video Movie Club-a small video rental store-in 1982. Hoogland became president and CEO in 1995 and grew Family Video from 40 locations to more than 800 locations across the continental U.S., becoming the third largest video rental chain in North America.
Hoogland expanded Family Video, now Highland Ventures, into a full-service real estate conglomerate, with leasing, property management, construction and retail build-to-suit development capabilities. The company's real estate arm, Legacy Commercial Property, selects and develops prime retail sites for national corporate tenants, including Starbucks, Dollar General and Aspen Dental. In 2012, Hoogland formed a partnership with Marco's Pizza, becoming their largest franchisee as Hoogland Restaurant Group with more than 120 locations.
Hoogland and his wife, Susan, BS'82, manage the Hoogland Family Foundation, which supports The University of Chicago Medicine, Stanford cancer research, Little Traverse Conservancy, the Hoogland Center for the Arts and the Hoogland Undergraduate Business Program at Vanderbilt University. Hoogland currently serves on the Sonata Bank Board of Directors and previously served on the boards of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and Video Software Dealers Association and was a member of YPO.
John Ingram, MBA'86, is the chairman of Ingram Industries Inc., as well as Ingram Content Group, a division that focuses on physical and digital content services in the book industry. He is a founding benefactor, along with his wife, Stephanie Ingram, BA'86, of Currey Ingram Academy, and he has served numerous other national and local nonprofits including the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, The Harpeth Hall School and Montgomery Bell Academy. An avid sports enthusiast, he was the lead investor behind the successful effort to bring a Major League Soccer team to Nashville. In 2022, Ingram established the Ingram Center for Student-Athlete Success at Vanderbilt, the mission of which is to equip Vanderbilt student-athletes with resources to maximize their potential for unmatched postgraduate preparation.
Ingram has served a total of 20 years on the Board of Trust, first from 2003 to 2013 and then from 2014 to 2024. During his tenure, he served on the Athletics Committee for 19 years: nine as committee chair, three as vice chair and seven as a member. He served on the 2007 chancellor search committee and on the Medical Center Affairs Committee for six years. Additionally, he served on the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Governance and Board Affairs Committee. He is a Vanderbilt director on the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Board.
Allie Hall Eagles, BA'16, is a fourth-generation leader at Hall Capital, where she plays a key role in the firm's real estate and investment strategy. She began her career in the Oklahoma City office, serving as associate director of investor relations and as project manager for the development of West Village, a prominent mixed-use project in downtown Oklahoma City.
In 2018, Hall Eagles transitioned to Hall Emery in Nashville, where she now is vice president of leasing and development. She collaborates closely with executive leadership to drive strategic initiatives and support new developments from conception to completion.
Hall Eagles also serves on the Hall Capital Real Estate Board and is a board member of the Fred Jones Family Foundation, which supports arts, education and community initiatives. She is deeply engaged in the Nashville community, having served on the board of the Nashville Zoo from 2018 to 2025 and on the NAIOP Developing Leaders Board from 2022 to 2025 to support the advancement of young professionals in the commercial real estate industry. Additionally, Hall Eagles is a member of the Midtown Music Row Business Improvement District Steering Committee, which is working to enhance one of Nashville's most vibrant neighborhoods.
TRUSTEES REELECTED
The following trustees were reelected to second five-year terms:
Adena Friedman, MBA'93, is chair and chief executive officer of Nasdaq Inc., bringing more than 20 years of industry leadership and expertise to her positions. Since December 2018, Friedman has served as a Class B director to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and she currently serves as the chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. She also is on the Business Roundtable Board of Directors, an association of chief executive officers of America's leading companies working to promote a thriving U.S. economy and expand opportunity for all Americans through sound public policy.
Cindy Kent, MBA'99, MDiv'01, is an innovative health care executive and corporate director with a proven track record of leading commercial operations and enterprise transformations at Fortune 500 companies and venture-backed technology startups. Most recently, Kent was the chief operating officer at Everly Health, a digital health company at the forefront of virtual diagnostics care; she has also held leadership roles at Eli Lilly and Co., Medtronic and 3M.
NEW TRUSTEE EMERITUS
Trustee Alex Taylor, BS'97, has been elected to emeritus status.
Since assuming the role of Cox Enterprises chairman and chief executive officer in 2018, Taylor has led the company's core operating businesses in broadband, automotive services and media through significant transformation, while also strengthening its employee-centric and customer-focused culture.
The great-grandson of three-term Ohio Gov. James M. Cox, who founded the company in 1898, Taylor serves as chairman of Cox Enterprises' board of directors and has held numerous positions since first joining the Cox family of companies in 2000, including chief operating officer, senior vice president of field operations and executive vice president of Cox Media Group. Taylor began his career as a reporter for The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction, Colorado, and is passionate about First Amendment rights.
Deeply committed to the Atlanta and Vanderbilt communities, Taylor is active in numerous civic and philanthropic organizations. He serves on the Atlanta Committee for Progress, a roundtable of CEOs who work with the mayor on issues that affect the city, including workforce development, crime reduction and public education. He also serves as a board member of the PATH Foundation and The Carter Center Board of Councilors.
Elected to the Vanderbilt Board of Trust in 2015, Taylor served as a member of the Development and External Engagement Committee, Executive Committee, Governance and Board Affairs, Human and Organizational Development Committee, and Investment Committee. He served 10 years as member and chairman of the Human and Organizational Development Committee. Taylor also served as a Vanderbilt director on the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Board.
