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Amid financial concerns, Averett University names new leadership

Averett University announced Wednesday that its board has appointed David Joyce as its 15^th president. Tiffany Franks, who has served nearly 17 years as president of the Danville private university, will retire Jan. 5, 2025.

The leadership change comes following months of headlines about the school’s financial woes and cost-saving measures like staff furloughs and program cuts.

Don Aungst, who came on board as Averett’s vice president and chief financial and operating officer, in 2020, no longer works at the university. His employment ended April 1, 2024, according to Cassie Jones, Averett’s spokesperson.

In September, Averett announced that Donald Merricks, a retired bank president, former state delegate and a two-time alumnus, had stepped in as the school’s interim chief financial officer. A news release did not address why the position was empty.

Averett also hired Susan Nelson as its director of finance in October. “This reorganized position encompasses the controller functions of accounting and financial reporting, and also incorporates the strategic fiscal management of budgeting, planning, processes and controls,” Jones wrote in an e-mail.

And in November, the university decided to eliminate five undergraduate majors — art, chemistry, math, modern languages and religion — as well as the criminal justice master’s degree and the symphonic band program. One staff position at Averett is expected to be cut in January 2026 as a result of the cuts.

A news release about the newly selected president alluded to the university’s financial struggles.

“Dr. Joyce is the right leader for Averett,” Emma Maddux Kozlowski, vice chair of the school’s board of trustees, said in a statement. “He understands the urgency to put Averett back on strong financial footing and will find innovative ways to maximize operational efficiency.”

The board used Academic Search, a Washington, D.C. higher-education executive search firm, with their search.

Joyce comes to Danville with nearly three decades of experience as a college president. For eight years he led Union College in Kentucky. He spent another 10 years as president of Ripon College in Wisconsin and most recently worked for nine years as president of Brevard College in North Carolina.

Joyce holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pfeiffer University, a master of divinity in pastoral psychology from the Yale Divinity School, a master’s in psychology from North Carolina State University and a doctorate in human resource development from Vanderbilt University.

He began his career at Elon University as associate dean of student affairs, before joining Pfeiffer as college minister. Joyce is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church.

Joyce will be installed as president on January 6, 2025. A “welcoming event” will be planned for that month for Joyce and his wife Lynne, according to the announcement.

“In our search for the next president of Averett, the Board of Trustees knew that Averett needed a strong leader with a proven record of turning around a college or university that was facing headwinds,” said Dan Carlton, chair of the university’s board.

A woman wearing pearls and a yellow blazer smiles. — Tiffany Franks will retire as Averett’s president in January 2025. Photo courtesy Averett University

The announcement noted several achievements Averett accomplished during Franks’ tenure, including setting enrollment records, joining the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and strengthening ties with the Danville community.

“Nearly 17 years ago, she walked onto this campus and changed Averett,” Carlton said. “She has been an ambassador of Averett in the community, a champion for our students and a tireless leader of the outstanding faculty and staff assembled at Averett.”

As of September, Averett had nearly 1,450 students enrolled, a 7% increase from the previous academic year, and including 550 students enrolled in Averett Online, its virtual educational offering. In 2022, Caesars Virginia announced a gift of $504,000 to the university to establish a hospitality and tourism academic program, and the school became Danville Regional Airport’s fixed-base operator in July 2021. Averett has offered flight training since 1981.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add information from Averett University’s spokesperson.

TIFFANY FRANKS

Ahead of her first job interview there, Tiffany Franks visited Averett University’s campus with her husband to scope it out — a bit of “mystery shopping,” if you will. “We fell in love,” she recalls. “It was a match made in heaven.”

Franks became Averett’s 14th president in 2008, making her the first woman to lead the university since its founding. Her tenure has been defined by expansion and change, with a list of accomplishments including new facilities, new academic programs and new athletics teams. “One of the things I’m most grateful for is how we have established Averett’s place in this community and garnered tremendous community support,” she says.

Averett’s aeronautics program is an example of both the university’s growth and its role as “a hometown university.” Aeronautics has seen enrollment increase 25% in a five-year period, and it now operates the Danville airport.

This type of partnership explains why one of Franks’ favorite traditions on campus is the annual engaged learning showcase, which celebrates Averett students, faculty and staff who are active in the community. Franks likewise has been celebrated for her accomplishments, including in 2022 when she won the Courageous Leadership Award from higher education consulting firm Credo, though she’s quick to note she’s surrounded by a great senior leadership team.

“Any time a compliment is paid to me, it’s a testament to so many people,” Franks says. “It’s the privilege of a lifetime to have served this institution.”

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Caesars gives $504K to Averett University

Caesars Virginia, which is building a $650 million casino in Danville, announced a gift of $504,000 to Averett University on Wednesday.

The gift will be used to develop a hospitality and tourism academic program. Averett’s new concentration and minor in hospitality management and tourism will be part of the university’s business management program and is expected to launch in fall 2023. The program will offer courses that include an introduction to the hospitality and tourism industry, lodging operations, and food and beverage management. Elective courses include casino, resort and club management and facility design. Students will end the program with a capstone internship with local hospitality partners.

Thomas Perugini, a hospitality industry veteran with 25 years of experience, will be the program’s inaugural director. He said the program will help feed the regional workforce pipeline by providing interns and training future Averett alumni in the industry.

“At Caesars Entertainment, we are committed to investing in the communities where we work and live through education and philanthropic giving,” Barron Fuller, regional president for Caesars Entertainment, said in a statement. “By partnering with Averett, we aim to provide resources for the next generation of hospitality professionals in the area. We look forward to building this program alongside the university for years to come.”

Caesars is developing a $650 million casino in Danville’s Schoolfield district, which broke ground in August and is set to open in late 2024. The project is now a joint venture with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Plans for the casino include a 500-room hotel, 1,300 slots, 85 live game tables, 24 electronic table games, a World Series of Poker-branded live poker room and a Caesars sports book. It is also slated to have a full-service spa, pool, bars, an entertainment venue that can accommodate up to 2,500 people, and 40,000 square feet of meeting and convention space.

In its third-quarter earnings call with investors, Caesars referenced plans to open a temporary casino in Danville that would be open in mid-2023. It will be on the same site as the permanent casino.

Caesars and Averett have been talking about partnering since discussions around the casino began, according to the release from the partners.

“At Averett University, we strive to be a strong partner in our city, region and beyond, and we know there is a significant and growing need for a prepared workforce with advanced education in this industry,” Averett President Tiffany M. Franks said in a statement.

Averett students take flight at Danville airport

Times are changing at Danville Regional Airport.

Averett University became the airport’s fixed-base operator in July 2021, replacing General Aviation Inc., a family-owned business which served as the FBO for more than 70 years.

The city of Danville owns the airport and its fueling facility. The city’s chosen FBO pays the city for the privilege of providing services like fuel sales, towing and airplane maintenance and charging users for those services.

Danville City Council members had been debating whether to select a new operator since 2017. In November 2019, council members approved a lease agreement allowing General Aviation to serve as the airport’s FBO until
June 30, 2021, when the university would take over.

General Aviation could not be reached for comment.

“City Council considered all input and … recommended that Averett University assume that role with a year-and-a-half transition,” says Marc Adelman, Danville’s director of transportation.

So far, the changeover to Averett has been smooth, Adelman says. In particular, he credits Averett with hiring John Earl, who has more than three decades of airline industry experience, as FBO manager. “He literally rolls out a red carpet every time a pilot comes onto the ramp,” Adelman says.

While the airport doesn’t serve large commercial airlines, it averages 52 takeoffs and landings per day for everything from trainer aircraft to business jets, Earl says.

Operating as AU Aviation Services, Averett University pays the city $1,500 a month to lease space at the airport, as well as a fuel-flow-fee of eight cents per gallon of fuel.

The university’s aeronautics program is the leading consumer of the airport’s services, says Travis Williams, Averett’s chief flight instructor.

Averett has provided flight training since 1981. Currently, 105 students are enrolled in Averett’s aeronautics program and the university hopes to grow the program to 200 students by 2026.

The aviation program “is in high demand,” says Don Aungst, Averett’s vice president and chief financial and operating officer. “And we don’t think that demand is going to diminish at all.” (The U.S. Department of Labor predicts there will be 14,500 annual openings for airline and commercial pilots through 2030.)

By becoming the airport’s FBO, Averett can now offer its aviation business students real-world experience. Three Averett aeronautics students currently work for AU Aviation Services as line technicians.

“Our aviation management students now have the opportunity to learn about the industry hands-on,” Williams says.

Averett University hires VP for philanthropy

Averett University announced Wednesday it has hired Melissa Wohlstein as vice president for philanthropy, effective Tuesday.

Wohlstein has nearly 20 years of experience in higher education settings. She most recently served as the associate vice president of development at Hollins University.

“With her existing connections to Virginia and her commitment to Averett’s mission, she will provide thoughtful and inspiring leadership as we embark on many bigger and bolder fundraising initiatives,” Averett University President Tiffany M. Franks said in a statement.

Wohlstein has also served as senior director of constituent relations for the College of Veterinarian Medicine at the University of Georgia, vice president for institutional advancement at Radford University, associate vice president for development and campaigns at Georgia Southern University and senior director of development and alumni affairs for the College of Health and Human Performance at the University of Florida.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in theater and English from the University of Alabama and her master’s degree in public administration from the University of Central Florida.

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Averett University names chief entrepreneurship, innovation officer

Averett University announced Thursday that John Vigouroux will join the university as its first chief entrepreneurship and innovation officer. He also will lead the new Averett Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

The center will serve as a learning lab and entrepreneurial space for students. The goal of the center is to connect students to economic development in the region. Vigouroux (an Averett alum) and Averett faculty members will create an interdisciplinary system with hands-on work with local businesses, organizations and regional partners. Averett has a goal of having all students complete at least two workplace experiences before graduation.

“With this new center and John’s leadership, Averett is moving forward during a time where it seems like everything has been halted,” Averett President Tiffany M. Franks said in a statement. “It’s during these times that we must resist only looking inwardly, and move boldly and invest in strategic initiatives to support innovations that will shape a better future.”

Vigouroux was most recently a member of Averett’s board of trustees. While an Averett student, he studied business administration and played soccer — eventually becoming a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame. He has also served in several executive leadership roles with San Francisco-area tech companies, including WeR.ai, NarrativeWave, Nex Cubed and ThinkIQ.

While leading the center, Vigouroux will create career development pipelines and experiential learning projects.

“This new focus and expertise on innovation and entrepreneurship at Danville’s hometown university will certainly benefit the city and the region, as well,” Danville City Manager Ken Larking said in a statement. “We look forward to developing more strategic partnerships that will provide new revenue and resource opportunities for both Averett students and for industry in the region.”