The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE

Media Contact: Steve Carr
(505) 277-1821; e-mail: scarr@unm.edu

September 4, 2008

UNM Foundation Elects Six New Board Trustees

The University of New Mexico Foundation elected six new members and re-elected nine members to its Board of Trustees recently. New members include: Dennis Burns, Chris Chant, Steven Durkovich, Orcilia Zuniga-Forbes, James M. Maddox and Melissa W. O’Rourke.

Re-elected third term members include: Thelma Domenici, Ron Schneier, Kyla Thompson and Ray Ziler. Re-elected second term members include: Robert Bovinette, Louise Campbell, Gary Gordon, Gerald Landgraf and Nestor Romero.

The newest Board Emeriti member is Bernie Butterfield (2001-2008). Outgoing trustees are Bill Garcia (2000-2008) and Henry Rivera (2004-2008).

Board officers include: Thelma Domenici, chair; Gary Gordon, vice chair/chair-elect; Judith Lavender, national vice-chair; Carl Alongi, treasurer; and Anne Yegge, secretary. They join John R. Stropp, president of the UNM Foundation.

The next meeting of the UNM Foundation’s Board of Directors is Friday, Oct. 24.

New Board Member Bios…

Dennis Burns (La Luz, N.M.)

Currently a part-time consultant, Burns was formerly Vice President, Global Head of Business Development for Hoffmann-LaRoche, a global health care organization based in Switzerland. In 2007, Burns, who earned a BS in Pharmacy from UNM in 1970, was named as the UNM College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. He also earned an MBA from the University of Hawaii.

Chris Chant (Albuquerque)

Chant is a young, entrepreneurial, philanthropic businessman in the community and the vice president of Chant Associates, Inc., a family-owned, third generation company currently focused on property development. Chant Associates has contributed to UNM in support of Lobo Boosters and the Cancer Research Treatment Center.

Stephen Durkovich (Santa Fe)

Durkovich is a trial lawyer who has served as a director for the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association and as a trustee for the NM Leukemia Parents Charitable Trust. He earned his BA from the University of California and his juris doctorate from UNM. Durkovich served on the recent Presidential search committee for UNM, and has been a major donor to UNM for the past 20 years.

Orcilia Zuniga Forbes (Portland, Ore.)

A former administrator for the University of New Mexico (VP Student Affairs, VP Institutional Advancement), Zuniga-Forbes retired from Oregon State University in 2004. She was also an administrator at Portland State University and serves as a Trustee of the Meyer Memorial Trust. She earned her BS degree in Nursing from UNM, and her MS and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Oregon, and an M.P.H. degree from UC-Berkeley. Zuniga-Forbes is a long time donor to UNM’s College of Nursing and the College of Arts & Sciences.

James M. Maddox (Hobbs, N.M.)

Maddox, a practicing attorney in Hobbs, is the chairman of the firm of Maddox, Holloman & Kirksey, PC. His practice is primarily focused on business law and estate planning. He serves as the Chair of the Endowment Trust Committee of the Conquistador Council of the Boys Scouts of America. He’s also a former board member at New Mexico Community Capital and he is the former President and a former board member of the New Mexico Conference Methodist Foundation. He is an officer and director of the J. F Maddox Foundation, which has provided grants to UNM. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina (BSBA) and the University of Tennessee (JD). His son, John, graduated from UNM Medical School in 1998.

Melissa W. O’Rourke (El Paso, Texas)

The president of Charlotte's Fine Furnishings in El Paso, O’Rourke is the southeast founding member of Homegrown El Paso with business connections in the Las Cruces and El Paso area. She is director of Lee & Beulah Moor Children’s Home and the former director of the El Paso Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank (1999). She also serves on the Investment Advisory Committee of the El Paso Community Foundation. O’Rourke graduated from University College at UNM with a BUS in 1970.

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