July 6, 2016 (Jackson, Miss.) - The Belhaven University Board of Trustees elected new members Mr. Sam Lane, Mrs. Karen Taylor and Dr. Kevin Brown to the board. The new appointees bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the University's leadership team.
Mr. Sam Lane is Senior Vice President of First Commercial Bank and has over 40 years of experience with Jackson area banks that includes Deposit Guaranty National Bank and First Commercial Bank. His work in middle-market commercial and corporate lending has given him a firm standing in business and banking throughout the state of Mississippi. He was part of the team that started First Commercial Bank 15 years ago, and prior to that, he served as senior vice president at Deposit Guaranty National Bank for 17 years.
Born in Jackson, Mr. Lane has lived in the Capitol City his entire life. He graduated from Jackson Prep in 1972 and earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Mississippi in 1976.
Currently, Mr. Lane is the vice chairman of the Wilson Research Foundation, the fundraising arm of the Methodist Rehabilitation Center. In addition, he sits on the Junior League of Jackson's Keystone Fund board and has served on the Mississippi Kidney Foundation Board of Trustees since 1979.
Past board member appointments include Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Jackson Prep, St. Andrew's Cathedral Vestry Member and Stewardship Chairman, Metropolitan YMCA and Neighborhood Christian Center. He was also the Fundraising Chairman for the Guyton Science Center, a $2 million state-of-the-art science laboratory at Jackson Prep. He is a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral. Mr. Lane is married with three children and three grandchildren.
Mrs. Karen Taylor is a volunteer and fundraiser for numerous Mississippi non-profits. A graduate of University of Mississippi, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing in 1986 and M.B.A. in 1987.
She has an extensive background in community service and charity work throughout the state. Mrs. Taylor has recently served on Jackson Prep's Capital Campaign and has mentored with Prep's Global Leadership program. She has volunteered for the annual Ovarian Cycle Jackson, benefiting ovarian cancer research, and has raised funds for Mississippi Industries for the Blind. Her previous board appointments include The Gardner Simmons Home for Girls,Jackson Friends of the Animal Shelter and Secretary to the Vestry at Chapel of the Cross. She is past member of Junior League of Jackson, Jackson Cancer League and the Symphony League.
Mrs. Taylor worked 13 years in sales for North American Plastics, 1987-2000, and she was the owner of Omi Boutique from 2004-2010. She is a member St. James Episcopal Church and is married to Jeffrey Taylor. Together, they have six children; Anthony, Andrew, Kelly, Olivia, Claire and Alex.
Dr. Kevin Brown currently serves as a faculty member at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He recently earned his Ph.D. in Urban Studies from University of New Orleans. He completed his psychology degree at Wheaton College and earned his Master of Social Work from University of Illinois.
Prior to urban missions, Dr. Brown began work as a therapist with abusive families under contract to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. He was part of the State Attorney's Task Force on Mass Molestation and worked for the Minirth Meier New Life Clinics specializing in counseling youth and families.
He authored several books including: The Quest: A Self-Discovery Workbook for Teens, Setting New Boundaries: Devotions for those in Recovery and You Take over God, I Can't Handle It: Devotions for Teens in Recovery.
For many years he hosted the show Talk It Out heard on WYLL in Chicago and was a weekly host for the nationally syndicated “The Minirth Meier Clinic.” He has frequently appeared as a guest on radio and television nationally and internationally speaking about the issues families face. He has also led seminars internationally on marriage and family topics.
From 1998 to 2014, he served as the executive director of Trinity Christian Community, a Christian community development agency. Some of his ventures have included teaching entrepreneurship to at-risk youth, running after-school activities and organizing community-wide programs to target needy families and disadvantaged youth in New Orleans' inner city. During this time, he also served as chaplain to the NBA's New Orleans Hornets from 2003-2010.
He was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Service Award by George W. Bush and the Meritorious Public Servant of the Year by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. He was also named United States Citizen of the Year by the U.S. Marshals Service. Dr. Brown has a long history with Belhaven, speaking at several chapel services over the years. His daughter, Chloe '14, graduated from the University with a degree in art. He has been married for 28 years to Sandy, and together they have raised three children: Seth, Chloe and Leah.