At its June 24 meeting, the Monmouth University Board of Trustees elected a new board officer and two new members with terms beginning July 1. Denis J. Gallagher ’76 was elected secretary of the board, while Carol A. Stillwell and Mark J. Skesavage ’11M begin service as regular members.
“It is a privilege to serve in this leadership role at my alma mater,” Gallagher said. “I have been delighted to have a front row seat to Monmouth’s incredible academic growth and financial success, especially in recent years. I know an even brighter future is ahead thanks to the leadership of President Leahy and the dedication of my fellow board members.”
Gallagher, a successful entrepreneur with more than 40 years of experience across diverse business lines, currently serves as chairman of BOLD Capital Group, LLC, based in Charleston, South Carolina, and is an active board member of MediPure Pharmaceutical Inc, a Canadian biopharmaceutical incubator, as well as several private company boards. He is also chairman and principal owner of Front and Center Entertainment, which produces the highly acclaimed television shows “Front and Center” and “Speakeasy” seen on cable and public television across the U.S. Gallagher is also lead investor in Novo Media Group, a Los Angeles-based television and film development and production company.
Gallagher attended then Monmouth College on a Trustee Athletic Scholarship and was a member of the men’s basketball team. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, he became an assistant coach for then coaches Bill Boylan and Ron Kornegay. He was a past member of the Board of Visitors, and in 1987, he was the youngest member ever elected to the Board of Trustees. In 1992, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award, and in 2019, he rejoined the Monmouth University Board of Trustees. Gallagher was honored with the Monmouth University Distinguished Business Leaders Award in 2020.
Stillwell, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, is beginning her second term on the Board, having previously served from 2012 until 2020. She is also a past board secretary, past co-chair of the Together We Can student scholarship campaign, recipient of the Monmouth University Distinguished Business Leaders Award in 2018, and the Maurice Pollak Award for Distinguished Community Service in 2010. Stillwell, the owner, president, and CEO of Stillwell-Hansen, Inc., has also served on the board of trustees for the Riverview Medical Center Foundation, as chairperson of Ride for Riverview event, and is involved in numerous local charities including Meridian Health, ALS, Fulfill, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Skesavage, a resident of West Allenhurst, New Jersey, is CEO of JMS Plastics Supply, Inc., a national distributor of materials for the orthopedic and prosthetic markets, located in Neptune, New Jersey. He previously served as treasurer of the Americas for Lucas Industries, Inc. in Reston, Virginia, and Buffalo, New York. An active volunteer, Skesavage has served as treasurer on the Board of Directors at the Center in Asbury Park, a not-for-profit organization that provides housing and services for people living with HIV/AIDS. He has also served a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
In addition to earning his Master of Arts in History from Monmouth University in 2011, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Seton Hall University and a Master of Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
“Mark will be an exceptional addition to our dedicated board of trustees who bring diverse perspectives, as well as valuable business and financial acumen to the governance of our university,” said Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahy. “Each member is critical to helping us implement our new strategic plan and providing careful oversight of our ongoing operations. I am so pleased to welcome Carol Stillwell back to our board, and grateful to Denis Gallagher for assuming additional leadership responsibilities. I would also like to thank Fred Kaeli for his loyal service to the board and his continuing engagement as an emeritus trustee.”
The Monmouth University Board of Trustees is composed of 32 regular members who are elected to four-year terms and are divided into four class years. The board operates within the conventional framework of higher education academic governance for independent institutions. Board members are concerned with higher education issues and share a specific and genuine involvement with Monmouth University.
