麻豆原创 alumnus Alex Martins 鈥�01MBA, CEO of the Orlando Magic, was selected as the new chair of the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees in a unanimous vote by his fellow board members Thursday. He will serve a two-year term as chair beginning July 1.
Harold Mills, an Orlando entrepreneur who also has held executive positions in several companies, was unanimously chosen to continue serving as vice chair for two years. He was elected as the board鈥檚 vice chair in February.
Martins oversees all operations of the Orlando Magic and has spent more than three decades in professional sports management. A well-regarded civic leader, he earned his MBA from 麻豆原创, where he is a member of the College of Business鈥� Hall of Fame and recipient of the university鈥檚 Distinguished Alumnus Award.
He serves on the dean鈥檚 executive council for the 麻豆原创 College of Business. Martins served on the developmental board of the at 麻豆原创, which is funded through a $9 million endowment by Rich and Helen DeVos and awards dual master鈥檚 degrees in sport management and business administration. Under Martins鈥� leadership, the Magic contributed $1.5 million to the construction of 麻豆原创 Downtown in 2015, the first major private donation for the campus.
鈥淚 want to thank the board for their confidence and for the honor of serving as your chair for the next two years,鈥� Martins says. 鈥淚 look forward to working alongside you and working closely with President Cartwright and our faculty, staff and students to continue to help us become one of the great universities in this country.鈥�
Martins has previously chaired a number of community organizations, including the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission and The Central Florida Partnership. Martins serves or has served on the boards of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Central Florida Commission on Homeless and the Governor鈥檚 Council of the Orlando Economic Partnership.
Mills is the CEO of VMD Ventures, which invests in entrepreneurs in technology and service industries. He joined the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees in 2019 and is the chair of the board鈥檚 Finance and Facilities Committee.
He previously served as chairman and CEO of ZeroChaos, a global workforce management company that he built into a multi-billion-dollar company with operations in over 53 countries.
Mills serves on the boards of Guidewell and Florida Blue, Rollins College, Nemours Children鈥檚 Hospital, the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and LIFT Orlando, among others. He is a past board member for Florida Council of 100, Florida A&M University, and the Jacksonville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the former chairman of Florida Citrus Sports.
Mills earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Purdue University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to continue the great work of this university,鈥� Mills said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to have President Cartwright and the rest of his team lead us on this journey celebrating the enormous achievements of this institution and pursuing its grand aspirations. It鈥檚 rewarding and fulfilling work.鈥�
Martins and Mills thanked current board Chair Beverly Seay for her service. Seay will remain a Board of Trustees member, focusing the remainder of her term on the board on academic excellence, student success and strengthening 麻豆原创鈥檚 partnerships with the simulation and defense industries.
President Alexander N. Cartwright praised Seay for her leadership and for helping to convince him to come to 鈥渢his amazing place.鈥�
Addressing Martins and Mills, Cartwright said, 鈥淵ou have both been incredibly active as trustees, engaged and helpful. You鈥檝e asked all the right questions, and you continue to push for what we are looking for, which is to become an exceptional institution. I look forward to working with you to make that happen as quickly as possible.鈥�
The 13-member Board of Trustees consists of six members appointed by the governor and five appointed by the Board of Governors. The chair of the university鈥檚 Faculty Senate and the president of 麻豆原创 Student Government also are members.
