The Centra Foundation

George Hurt, MD, a longtime central Virginia neurosurgeon, leads the foundation today as its chairman, and he has been a member of the Centra Foundation Board of Directors since 1993. Dr. Hurt graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Dr. Hurt and his wife, Cinda, made an endowment to fund nursing education in memory of Cinda’s aunt, Virginia Avenel Henderson. Miss Henderson, a nurse, was a nursing education professor and author of texts used throughout the world. The Hurts made the gift as a way to give back to the nurses who have helped Dr. Hurt though his career and to honor the life and memory of Miss Henderson.

Dr. Hurt is a member of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine, the Medical Society of Virginia, the American Medical Association, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Sam Cardwell, vice chairman of the Centra Foundation Board of Directors, has been associated with Centra since the late 1970s, when he served as chairman of the Board of Directors of Virginia Baptist Hospital.  He retired from Crestar Financial Corporation and Crestar Bank, where he served as president and CEO.  Cardwell earned his master's degree in economics from the University of Virginia.

Cardwell has been involved with many local organizations, including the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Lynchburg, Lynchburg Regional Small Business Partnership, Gateway Inns, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges and Habitat for Humanity. He also received the humanitarian award from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

With more than two decades of experience leading two healthcare organizations, W. Michael Bryant became president and CEO of Centra on Oct. 10.

Bryant had been president and CEO of Methodist Health Services Corporation, which includes Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, a 329-bed nonprofit, regional integrated tertiary medical center located in Peoria, Ill. Bryant had been at the helm of Methodist Health Services Corporation since 1999.

At Methodist, he led a medical center with approximately 3,000 employees, more than 700 physicians, an employed medical group of 167 physicians and providers located in 32 sites in six counties, a Physician Hospital Organization, numerous joint ventures, a 500-student college of nursing and two medical residencies, all serving an area of 1 million people.

Prior to joining Methodist, Bryant spent 14 years with the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, N.J., including 10 years as president and CEO.

He earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and is a certified public accountant. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration/accounting from Indiana University.

Kathryn M. Pumphrey, Ed.D., has been actively involved in fundraising for the Lynchburg community for more than 25 years. During her thirteen-year tenure as executive vice president of the Centra Foundation, she has been responsible for the overall management of the Foundation, its programs and staff.

A native of Wilmington, Delaware, Pumphrey has lived in Lynchburg for thirty years and has served on numerous community boards. She currently serves on the Lynchburg College Board of Trustees and as president of the Alumni Association.  She also presides as president of the Lynchburg Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.  She is a member of the Lynchburg Leave a Legacy Board and the Lynchburg Estate Planning Council and has served as president of both.

Pumphrey received her undergraduate and master's degrees from Lynchburg College and her doctorate from the University of Virginia.  Her dissertation research focused on "Alumnae Giving at the University of Virginia."  Pumphrey is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).

Lewis Addison, C.P.A., is senior vice president and CFO for Centra. Lewis earned his bachelor's in accounting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1974. He was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in 1976 and worked in public accounting until 1979. He then joined Lynchburg General Hospital to become vice president of finance.

Lewis is a member of the American Institute of C.P.A.s, Virginia Society of C.P.A.s and past president of the Virginia Chapter of Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Robert R. (Bob) Chapman III is president and CEO of Bank of The James. After graduating from Virginia Military Institute and military service in the Army, Bob began his career in banking and helped establish the Bank of The James in 1999.

His civic memberships include the Lynchburg Rotary Club, The United Way and the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce.

Melanie F. Christian is a graduate of Hollins University.  She is actively involved in the following Centra Foundation committees: Women & Philanthropy and the Resource Development Committee.

Christian is also a respected community leader who serves on the boards of Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, Virginia Center for Creative Arts (VCCA) and the Lynchburg Museum Foundation.

A.C. "Buzzy" Coleman was chairman of the Board of Coleman-Adams Construction, Inc., for 25 years and is now retired.  He was instrumental in the success of many community organizations and has received a number of service awards for his volunteering excellence.

Coleman's many accolades include Builder of the Year, the Region 2000 Distinguished Service Award and the Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce's F. M. Dink Cloyd Award for Service.  He also earned a Junior Achievement honorary degree and the Governor's Award for Volunteering Excellence.  Coleman also was awarded a degree in Humane Letters from Central Virginia Community College.

Dr. Diminick is a graduate of Duke University, BS (Magna Cum Laude with Distinction) and Harvard Medical School in 1993. He completed his internship at the Harvard Medical School/New England Deaconess Medical Center and his residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery/Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Diminick’s areas of specialty are total joint replacement surgery, hip resurfacing, partial knee replacements and sports medicine.

Dr. Diminick has professional affiliations with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, the American College of Physician Executives and is a Board Certified Physician Executive. He is also the team physician for Liberty University.

Paul F. Fitzgerald, M.D., was a founding partner of Piedmont Orthopaedic Surgery.  He and his partner performed the first joint replacement surgery in Lynchburg.  Dr. Fitzgerald is a graduate of the New York University School of Medicine. He has served on the Centra Board of Directors, the Lynchburg City School Board, Lynchburg Academy of Medicine and E.C. Glass High School Athletic Boosters.  Dr. Fitzgerald is also a clinical member of the orthopaedic faculty at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Now semi-retired, Dr. Fitzgerald works in the Free Clinic of Central Virginia and also serves on the Johnson Health Center Board of Directors.

Robert (Rob) Gilliam Jr. is president and CEO of First National Bank and its holding company, Pinnacle Bankshares Corporation.  The Bank was founded in 1908 and is the oldest business in continuous operation in the Town of Altavista.

Gilliam is active in the Region 2000 Economic Development Council, the Altavista Life Saving Crew, Altavista Economic Development Authority, Altavista Lions Club and Altavista Chamber of Commerce.  He graduated from Guilford College and the Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management at the University of Virginia.

John J. Halpin, M.D., graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine and is an oncologist at the Lynchburg Hematology/Oncology Clinic at the Centra Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center.

Dr. Halpin is a member of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine and the American Society of Clinical Oncology and has served as president of both.

Janet G. Hickman, M.D., is a dermatologist with Dermatology Consultants, Inc.  She graduated from Harvard Medical School magna cum laude and Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry with high honors.  She also holds positions at the Education & Research Foundation, Inc., and is a medical consultant and principal investigator.

Dr. Hickman has professional memberships in the American Academy of Dermatology, Virginia Dermatologic Society, Lynchburg Academy of Medicine, Medical Society of Virginia, Women's Dermatologic Society Foundation and has served in many leadership capacities.

Dr. Hickman's community involvement includes Family Services of Virginia Board of Directors, Virginia School of the Arts Board of Directors, E.C. Glass High School Band Boosters and Hillside Garden Club.

Yuille (Skipper) Holt III is the president and CEO of Campbell Insurance.  He is active in many local organizations and is known throughout the Lynchburg community as a good will ambassador for civic involvement.

Holt is involved with the Academy of Arts, Amazement Square Children's Museum, Central Virginia Industries, The Greater Lynchburg Community Trust and Meals on Wheels.

Holt has been the recipient of many awards including the Lynchburg Exchange Club Book of Golden Deeds Award, Lynch's Landing Margaret Burnette Award, Greater Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce F. M. Dink Cloyd Award for Service and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Award.

Augustus A. Petticolas Jr., D.D.S., is a Lynchburg dentist.  He has been instrumental in the development of The Free Clinic, volunteered his time to treat patients, served as its president and continues to be a member of the board of directors.

Dr. Petticolas has been appointed by the Governor to serve a four-year term on the Virginia Board of Dentistry.  He also serves on the Bank of The James board and has served as president of the Churches for Urban Ministry.  He has been recognized for his community service and is the recipient of the Humanitarian Award from The National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Alpha Centennial Award and the Mayor's Award of Excellence.  He is a member and past president of the Lynchburg Dental Society and is a member of the Piedmont Dental Society, the American Dental Association, the National Dental Association and the NAACP.  He was inducted into the International College of Dentists in 1998.

Dr. Petticolas graduated from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina, and the University of Maryland Dental School.

Mary Jane Pryor has held positions of executive director of the Mental Health Association, Central Virginia Community Services Director and United Way of Allegheny County Consultant.  She has served on the Board of Directors of Dance Theater of Lynchburg, Kid's Haven and the Free Clinic.

Pryor has raised funds for the Pittsburg Symphony and while living in London, she was involved in several human services endeavors, including the Asperger's Syndrome Foundation.

Pryor is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

John F. Richards is an attorney with Davidson, Sakolosky & Richards, P.C. and retired from Crestar Bank as senior vice president.  A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and Washington & Lee University, Richards is a member of the Lynchburg Bar Association, the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Bar Association.

Richards has held leadership positions on the Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, the Bridgewater College Estate Planning Committee, the Kiwanis club of Lynchburg and the Lynchburg Coca-Cola Bottling Company Board of Directors.

Richards serves as chair of the Centra Foundation Resource Development Committee.

Elliot S. Schewel, a graduate of Washington & Lee University, served as a Virginia State Senator for twenty years and was part owner and president of Schewel Furniture Company.

Schewel is most active in the community and has served in leadership capacities in the following organizations: Lynchburg Chapter, American Red Cross, United Negro College Fund, Lynchburg Jewish Community Council, Red Cross Bloodmobile Program, Lynchburg Area Development Corporation, Family Services Bureau, Lynchburg Art Club, United Way of Central Virginia and Lynchburg College Board of Overseers.

Schewel was one of several organizers and vice president of the Friends of the Lynchburg Public Library (This group was responsible for the creation of our present Public Library System.)

MaryJane Tousignant-Dolan is president and CEO of Colonial Brokerage House, Inc.  She holds many professional memberships and was named the YWCA's Business & Industry Woman of the Year.  She serves on the YMCA Board of Directors, the Lynchburg College Business Advisory and the Point of Honor Museum Board.

Tousignant-Dolan serves as chair of the Centra Foundation Grants Committee.

Kenneth S. White, chairman of the Centra Board of Directors, is a retired Lynchburg attorney who practiced in the law firm Edmunds & Williams, P.C.

White has served on a number of committees for the American Bar Association, the Virginia Bar Association, the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Law Foundation and the Lynchburg Bar Association.  He served on the State Board of Education, holding the offices of president and vice president and membership on the Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education.

He served as president of the Greater Lynchburg Community Trust, chairman of the board of the Bank of The James, chairman of the Virginia Public School Authority and as a member of the boards of C.B. Fleet Co., Region 2000 and Centra Foundation.  White is a former member of the boards of Lynchburg General Hospital, Lynchburg Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Sweet Briar College.

White received his bachelor's degree in finance and his law degree from the University of Virginia.