Yorba Linda July 21, 2010: The board of directors of the Richard Nixon Foundation elected a new chairman and three new members this week as hundreds gathered in Yorba Linda to attend events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the grand opening of the library and birthplace.
Former Nixon Administration official and White House Assistant Ronald H. Walker (pictured above), Foundation President for the past year, was elevated to Chairman of the Board. He succeeds Kris Elftmann who served as chair since 2007, and led the board’s search resulting in Walker being named President last year, in time to develop the Foundation’s 20th anniversary celebration. Highlights included this week’s events, and a series of Nixon Legacy Forums here and in Washington DC featuring Nixon administration officials discussing the 37th President’s achievements in both domestic and foreign affairs.
In assuming his new post, Walker said he and the board were grateful for Elftmann’s four years of service. “Kris is a man and leader with an abundance of energy and vision, and we thank him for his creative input, direction and board leadership.”
The three new foundation board members all knew President Nixon well:
Navy Commander Everett Alvarez Jr., served as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for more than eight years, and was welcomed home by President Nixon in 1973. President Reagan appointed him Deputy Director of the Peace Corp and later Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration. He received the Foundation’s Great American Hero Award on the President’s birthday, January 9, 2010. He heads Alvarez & Associates and resides in Potomac, Maryland.
Robert J. Brown, served as Special Assistant to President Nixon and directed the administration’s successful efforts to develop and expand minority enterprise. He is Chairman and CEO of B&C Associates, Inc., a management consulting, marketing research and public relations firm, with a roster of Fortune 500 clients including the Coca-Cola Company, Sara Lee Corporation, General Motors, Office Depot and Nissan Corporation. It is the oldest African-American owned public relations firm in the United States. He resides in High Point, North Carolina.
Tod R. Hullin, served on the White House staff from 1969 to 1976, was Associate Director of the Domestic Council for Housing and Community Development, Staff Assistant of the Domestic Council and served as Executive Assistant to the Director of the Domestic Council. He later served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. Since leaving government, Hullin has served in senior executive positions for a number of Fortune 500 companies including Interstate General Corp., G.D. Searle & Company, SmithKline Beecham, Time Warner Inc., Seagram Company Ltd., Vivendi Universal, and most recently, the Boeing Company where he was Senior Vice President for Public Policy. He resides in Washington, DC.
In addition to his new role as board Chairman, Walker will direct a board committee on a national search for a new foundation president.
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7/21/10