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Center for Rural Virginia

Council for Rural Virginia


The Honorable
Frank M. Ruff, Jr.



Ward W. Stevens

Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr.
Center for Rural Virginia - Board of Trustees,
Email Chairman Ruff   

Vice-Chair  Honorable Steve Landes

Secretary:     Honorable Jack Reasor    

Treasurer:    Honorable Woodrow “Woody” Harris

Chairman of the Board of Trustees                   Meet the Rural Center Board

Senator Ruff has been Chairman of the Center for Rural Virginia Board of Trustees since it's inception in September 2005. He has been instrumental in getting the Center established and guides the organizations direction and strategy by  working closely with staff, board members and the Center's partner organization, the Council for Rural Virginia.  The chairman’s primary role is to ensure that the board is effective in its tasks of facilitating programs that will have a positive impact on the economy of rural Virginia. His leadership brings a value added perspective to the  Center's work plan. 

Senator Ruff was elected to serve in the Virginia Senate in November 2000 to fill the unexpired term of the late Richard Holland. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates since first being elected in 1993. His Senate standing assignments include service on the Committee on Education and Health, the Committee on General Laws, the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Committee on Local Government. Senate of Virginia website.

Ward W. Stevens, FACHE, CMPE
Council for Rural Virginia - Board of Directors

Email Chairman Stevens

Vice Chair:    R. Bryan David

Secretary:     Carl Mitchell

Treasurer:     John Meade, III

Council Chairman of the Board of Directors            Meet the Rural Council Board

 

Ward is Executive Director of Osteopathic Medical Network of Excellence in Education, An Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institute, at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM). He came to VCOM in October 2006 with 20 years of progressive management experience in for-profit and non-profit healthcare facilities. He is experienced in managing multiple projects; improving operational efficiency; implementing corporate initiatives; maintaining strong physician relationships; developing staff; and meeting regulatory requirements.  VCOM Administration  

 

Ward has been an active member of the Council Board of Directors since 2008 and assumed the Board Chairmanship in 2010. During that time, he has taken a proactive role in collaborative initiatives in health education and in community improvement to encourage advancement of Virginia's rural economy. He serves as co-chair of the Rural Center's Healthcare Economic Essential Group and is part of the Partnership Network that leads the Rural Virginia Strategic Action initiative.

 

Board of Trustees ~ Center for Rural Virginia

 

Honorable Robert Bloxom, (ret.) Virginia Sec. of Ag & Forestry  

Honorable Bill Bolling, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia

Honorable Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade

Jeffrey S. ‘Jeff' Edwards, Southside Electric Cooperative
Honorable Woodrow 'Woody' Harris, City Council, Emporia, Virginia

Donna Pugh Johnson, Virginia Agribusiness Council
Honorable Joseph P. Johnson, Jr., Virginia House of Delegates
Honorable R. Steven Landes, Virginia House of Delegates
Mark S. Lawrence, Carilion Health System

Dr. Oliver McBride, Crossroads Institute

Dr. Keith T. Miller, Virginia State University

Honorable Ralph S. Northam, Senate of Virginia

Honorable Dave Nutter, Virginia House of Delegates

Jay S. Poole, Common Sense Strategies

Wayne F. Pryor, Virginia Farm Bureau
Honorable Jack Reasor, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative
Honorable Frank M. Ruff, Jr., Senate of Virginia

Honorable Edward T. 'Ed' Scott, Virginia House of Delegates

Richard Settle, Settle and Associates, Inc.
William 'Bill' Tucker, Tucker Family Farms

 

 

 

Board of Directors ~ Council for Rural Virginia

R. Bryan David, Region 2000 Economic Development

Ellen Matthews Davis, Virginia State Director-USDA Rural Development

Basil Gooden, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

Gary Keener, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College

Dr. Oliver McBride, Crossroads Institute

John Meade, III, First Bank & Trust, Inc.

Carl Mitchell, Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc.

Laurie S. Moran, Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce

Joseph W. Newbill, Former Director, USDA Rural Development

H William 'Bill' Smith, Wise County

Ward W. Stevens,  Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus

Robin Sullenberger, Shenandoah Valley Partnership

Mary Terry (retired) Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc.

William 'Bill' Tucker, Tucker Family Farms

Duront "Dee" Walton Jr., VA Telecommunications Industry Association

Stephen Williams, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (PDC)
Carlyle Wimbish, Virginia Association of RC&D Councils

    Technical Advisor to the Board of Directors

 

Dr. Oliver McBride, Crossroads Institute, immediate past chairman of the board.

Board Advisors

 

Rebecca J. Davis, Ph.D., National Cooperative for Health Networks (NCHN)
Steve McHenry, Rural Maryland Council

 

 

 

  Glen C. Sink

Executive Director ~ Va Rural Virginia
          Glen Sink


Glen
is a life long resident and advocate of rural America. As Executive Director he leads a virtual organization with associates located across the Commonwealth.  The Center Council is an advocate for rural policy and creates networks to be a catalyst for state and regional competitiveness and economic transformation.  

Glen has enjoyed extensive experiences in leadership positions at national marketing cooperatives, educational and entertainment venues. He is the founder of a customer service company providing logistics, financial and preparedness  solutions for businesses and educational venues, having experience on both sides of the Atlantic in rural development. He has served national non-profit organizations in leadership roles in development, education and sales.

Glen is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the University of Richmond. He passionately promotes education and networks for organization and community transformation.

The Rural Center Governmental Affairs office and location of the Executive Director is in Richmond at Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD).
 

Office (804)371-7141   Cell (804)381-1999  glen.sink@cfrv.org

 


Thelma Burris
--

Director/Southwest

     Thelma Burris

 

Va Rural Center has a long-range plan to have strategic locations in or near all rural regions. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) has provided space and staff for the Council since 2005, and serves as the Rural Center business operations center.

 

In November 2008, a Southwest Center was opened at Wytheville Community College (WCC). Thelma works from both VCOM and WCC.  She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management form Virginia Intermont College and has graduate work in Psychological Counseling form Virginia Commonwealth University.

 

VCOM 540-231-8222   WCC   276-223-4805  tburris@vcom.vt.edu

 

 

Virginia Rural Center - A Virtual Organization

 

Federal/State Partnership – The Council for Rural Virginia and the Center for Rural Virginia entered into a
Collaborative Activities Agreement in April 2006.

 

The Rural Center serves as lead to the State’s rural planning process and provides leadership in critical statewide strategies.

 

In collaborative alliances with a broad range of organizations and planning groups that have a direct interest in Virginia’s rural areas, this

network's challenge is rural planning that traditionally focused on the industry of agriculture or its derivatives, or in providing manufacturing

employment opportunities to supplement the traditional rural agricultural farm base. Time and change has shifted this focus to a more

diversified economy.  Virginia's Rural Strategic Action Process is a collaborative focused on leveraging resources and finding solutions to

revitalize the states rural economy.  Rural Strategic Action recognizes partnerships are critical in a time of less resources to get the job done.

   Locations

Richmond

 

6oo East Main St., Suite 300

Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 371-7141

fax: (804)371-7092

 

 Blacksburg/VCOM

 

2265 Kraft Drive

Blacksburg, VA 24060

(540) 231-8222
fax: (540) 231-5338

 

Wytheville/WCC

 

Va Rural Center, Southwest

1000 East Main St

Wytheville, VA 24382

(276)223-4805

 
 
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