Drexel Appoints New Trustees

Drexel University recently appointed three new members to its Board of Trustees. The new trustees are R. John Chapel, Jr., president and CEO of White Hall Capital, LLC, Richard C. Ill, chairman of the Triumph Group, and Robert F. Powelson, chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

R. John Chapel, Jr. is the president and CEO of White Hall Capital, LLC, a Northern Virginia-based private equity investment firm. The company’s primary focus is making majority or controlling equity investments in small- to middle-market companies whose primary customers are departments or agencies of the federal government. Previously, Chapel was the CEO and owner of AVIEL Systems, Inc., a federal information technology and management consulting services provider in areas critical to national security, transportation and defense. Prior to AVIEL, he served as president and chief operating officer (COO) of OPTIMUS, leading all operational aspects of the company including strategic planning and administration. Earlier in his career, Chapel served as president/COO of several companies where he led the company’s successful transformation and acquisition. He has served as a director at the Association for Corporate Growth, UTRON, Inc. and as chairman of SENTECH, Inc. He currently serves on the boards of Lexerd Capital, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and National Technologies Associates, and is chairman of Ostrato, Inc. In 2009, Chapel was named to the Drexel 100, the University’s alumni hall of fame that was launched in 1992 in celebration of Drexel’s 100th anniversary. At the University, Chapel serves on Drexel President John A. Fry’s Leadership Council and the LeBow College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council. He is also vice chairman of the Campaign Steering Committee for the University’s “Dream It Do It” fundraising campaign.

Richard C. Ill is chairman of Triumph Group. Triumph's companies design, engineer, manufacture, repair and overhaul aerostructures, aircraft components and systems for customers that include commercial, general and military, original and aftermarket equipment manufacturers. Ill retired as CEO of Triumph in July 2012. He had served as chairman and CEO of Triumph Group since July 2009 and he had been president and CEO since 1993. From 1965 to 1968, he was a captain in the U.S. Army. He joined Alco Standard Corporation in 1968 and progressed through various management positions in Alco’s related companies. In 1993, he led a successful management buyout of Triumph Group, Inc. In addition to Triumph, Ill serves on the boards of Mohawk Industries, Airgas, Inc., the P.H. Glatfelter company and Baker Industries. He served as chairman of the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion. Ill is a member of the Drexel 100, serves on Fry’s Leadership Council and is a former member of Drexel’s Board of Visitors. In addition to his Drexel MBA, Ill holds a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College and is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program.

Robert F. Powelson serves as chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). He was first nominated to the PUC in June 2008 to fill the remainder of an unexpired term. The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously confirmed Powelson to serve as commissioner and he was re-confirmed to serve another full, five-year term in 2009.

Powelson serves on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Board of Directors and is chair of NARUC's Committee on Water. He has been appointed to represent the Water Committee on NARUC’s task force on climate policy. He is also the First vice president of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners and is a member of the Electric Power Research Institute Advisory Board. Previously, Powelson served as the president of the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry. During his tenure as president and CEO, the accrediting board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce awarded the Chester County Chamber a three star accreditation standard of excellence. In 2005, he was selected by the Eisenhower Presidential Fellows to be a U.S. fellow in Singapore and Australia. Prior to joining the Chester County Chamber, Powelson was the director of government relations for the Delaware County Chamber, where he helped to develop the county’s economic development strategy. Powelson holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University and a master’s degree in governmental administration from the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in public finance.