Additions to the Lewis Ginter Board of Directors

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is pleased to announce new officers in board leadership positions and the addition of new members to its board of directors. The new board members include community and business leaders offering a variety of perspectives.

Newly elected officers include Truitt (Trudi) B. Allcott as President and Steven R. Williams as Vice President. The Garden would like to express profound gratitude to outgoing Board President Melvin Watkins for his service, including three years as president.

The mission of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is to connect people through plants to improve communities. The new board members will help build on the Garden’s relevance and accessibility for all in the communities of the Richmond region and beyond. They include:

Helen Hamilton, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Board Member

Helen Hamilton is the vice president of human resources at ChemTreat. Hamilton began her career as a manufacturing engineer and is a graduate of Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering. She later received her Master of Business Administration from the Simmons School of Management.

Timothy Call, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Board Member

Timothy Call is the president and chief investment officer for the Capital Management Corporation and has served ad hoc on Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Finance and Investment Committee for several years. Call is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and economics. He also has a Master of Business Administration in finance and accounting from Duke University.

Simeon Harris, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Board Member

Simeon C. Harris is a commercial banker and senior vice president at Truist. His experience includes working with not-for-profit organizations and government entities. Harris is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in marketing. Simeon serves on the board for both ChildSavers and U-Turn organizations.

Alan Davis, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Board Member

Alan Davis, AIA, LEED AP, is a principal and architect with Baskervill in Richmond, having worked on numerous projects throughout the mid-Atlantic. He is an avid outdoorsman passionate about bridging the gap between generations. Davis is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Architecture. Alan is active in a number of local and state associations including the Virginia Association of Community Banks and the Greater Richmond Association for Commercial Real Estate.

Other recent additions to the 2021 Board Class include:

• Michael D. Frederick recently retired from Dominion Energy as senior vice president–administrative services where he oversaw information technology and telecommunications, including cyber security; corporate security, safety and health; aviation; and supply chain management. Frederick has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
• Daniel J. Schmitt owns RMC Events, which has more than 2,000 staff members and manages events and venues across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Schmitt is the Brookland District Supervisor for the Henrico County of Board of Supervisors. He also serves on the Richmond Region Tourism Board, Metro Richmond Sports Backers, Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, and the Local Emergency Planning Commission.

The five core values of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden are hospitality, inspiration, integrity, responsibility, and innovation.  We are pleased that these board members embody our core values and we are thrilled to have them on board!