Submitted from Waterworks 

SALISBURY — On July 26, the Board of Directors of Waterworks Visual Arts Center elected officers for 2023-2024. Ed Hull, retired executive and community leader, enters his fourth year as board president, along with Kathleen Bergeron, an independent marketing, public relations and business communications consultant, as first vice president. Sarah White-Harvey, retired financial applications manager and artist will serve as vice president of finance; Dr. Deborah Lucas, retired diagnostic imaging physician at the Salisbury VA Hospital as Secretary; and Chad Vriesema, as vice president of facilities.

Waterworks Visual Arts Center welcomes six new members to the board of directors. Newly elected to serve three-year terms are:

• Linda Alexander, a Salisbury native, spent her 38-year career in the medical administration field. She raised three children and retired in 2019. She has run four full marathons, including the route of the original marathon in Athens, Greece.
• Lenora Black Rendleman Cowan (“Lee”) attended George Washington University majoring in East Asian studies and international affairs with a minor in Chinese. After graduating from college, she found her way back to North Carolina. Currently, she is the global senior regulatory manager for Nouryon’s Home and Personal Care product line. She is married with a daughter.
• Dr. Jimmy Jenkins, a man of strong Christian principles and values, retired last year from serving as the president of Livingstone College in Salisbury. He came to Salisbury in 2006 to become the 12th president of Livingstone College, bringing with him a new, holistic approach to education. Jenkins served 16 years at Livingstone College and 38 years in higher education.
• Chad Vriesema is a licensed general contractor and president of Central Piedmont Builders, Inc. In 2018, he started a new company, Carolina Concrete Crushing, LLC. He is married with daughters, enjoys being outdoors, and is passionate about bringing old buildings in the Salisbury downtown area back to life.
• Dr. John Wear, founder and executive director emeritus of the Center for the Environment. He continues to serve as associate professor in the Department of Biology and the Department of Environment and Sustainability at Catawba College. He enjoys spending time with family and being in the great outdoors, hunting and fishing.
• Caroline Weiker, is a Catawba College graduate and a member of the Catawba College Alumni Board. She is currently working on her PhD in Criminal Justice at Liberty University. Caroline is married and is a certified diver who enjoys, among other things, playing golf and tennis.

“We are excited to welcome these outstanding new members to Waterworks Visual Arts Center’s Board of Directors. They each bring a spirit of community pride, along with talents and new perspectives that will continue to strengthen Waterworks significance as a public and regional resource,” said Executive Director Anne Scott Clement.

Re-elected at-large board members include:

• Dr. State Alexander III, executive assistant to the president and vice president of communications and public relations at Livingstone College;
• Josh Brewer, artist/photographer;
• Ginger Cartwright, legal counsel and director of Gang Prevention Study at Livingstone College;
• Debbie Hoffman, art educator and teacher;
• Kathryn Setzer Lipscomb, attorney-at-law/partner with Shelby, Pethel and Hudson, PA.;
• Pamela Sofley, gourd artist and basket weaver