Franklin University Board of Trustees Welcomes Two Members

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University, one of the leading educators of working adults, is pleased to announce the election of Jennifer Thomas and Thomas Shoupe to its Board of Trustees.  Both members were approved through a special June vote.

“The election of these new industry leaders to the Board of Trustees is reflective of Franklin’s areas of academic expertise and expands the professional experience and knowledge essential to oversee the University’s continued growth and success,” said Melissa Gutierrez, Chair of the Franklin University Board of Trustees.

Jennifer Thomas
Jennifer recently retired from Nationwide Insurance, where she served in several leadership roles within the legal department.  She is an attorney with over 25 years of experience advising corporate executives on various legal issues, including complex contract issues, employee benefits, employment policy issues, and business operations compliance issues.  As an executive at Nationwide, she worked closely with her internal clients and colleagues to attain business objectives and generate practical and creative solutions to various business and legal challenges. 

Jennifer recently served on the board for Easter Seals Central and Southeast Ohio for the full six-year term, where she was a member of the executive committee and the Fiscal and Governance committees.  She currently serves on the Groveport Community School Board. 

She received her Juris Doctor degree from Capital University College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.  Jennifer currently serves on the Franklin University Board of Trustees Human Resources Committee.

“Franklin University plays a vital role on our community.  It is a privilege for me to be part of the Board of Trustees, shared Jennifer. “I believe my prior professional and board experience will be helpful to the Franklin team as they continue to grow the University in innovative ways.”

Thomas Shoupe
The Board of Trustees also welcomed Tom Shoupe, who served on the board from April 2008 through January 2012. Tom recently retired from Honda of America Mfg., Inc. (HAM), where he served in numerous leadership and management roles over his 33-year career. In his final role at Honda, he served as Executive Vice President and COO of HAM, was a senior member of the Honda North America Regional Operating Board, and served as function leader for the company’s human resources planning and staff deployment for regional manufacturing operations.  Before joining Honda, Tom served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Representatives Thomas N. Kindness and Michael G. Oxley.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.  Tom represented Honda externally in many capacities, including serving as a board member for the Columbus Partnership and Columbus 2020, an economic development organization for the 11-county Columbus, Ohio region.  He currently serves on the Academic/Student Committee and the Partnerships Committee.  

Franklin University is committed to building strategic relationships within the community. More than twenty local business leaders currently make up the Franklin University Board of Trustees. Learn more about the Franklin Board of Trustees here.

“I am truly honored and excited to serve on the Franklin University Board of Trustees again.  Franklin is well recognized for its leadership, quality, innovation and contributions to the community and society.  I look forward to working with such motivated and enthusiastic people as a Trustee, and to contributing from my experience to help Franklin carry outs it’s important mission and growth for the long term” 

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).