HIGH POINT, N.C., Sept. 26, 2019 – High Point University Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Robert J. (Bob) Brown as chair and Chris Henson as vice chair.
The announcement follows recent news unveiling HPU’s 10-year growth plan, including a renewed 10-year commitment from Dr. Nido Qubein as HPU’s leader, a $1 billion investment in scholarships, new programs and facilities, and a town and gown think tank, committed to ensuring that the city of High Point and High Point University continue to thrive together.
“As we enter this next phase of growth at High Point University, the exceptional leadership in place will have a tremendous impact,” said HPU President Nido Qubein. “I appreciate the experience Bob and Chris bring to our Board of Trustees.”
Dr. Bob Brown is the founder and CEO of the global business management consulting firm, B&C International, headquartered in the city of High Point. During his career, Brown advised, traveled with and raised money for the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; was a member of the corporate plans board of Carl Byoir & Associates, the largest public relations firm in the world at the time; and was a close friend and confidant to Nelson Mandela’s family. His public service includes serving on several corporate boards, as well as advising U.S. and international presidents.
Brown has been a member of the HPU Board of Trustees for 17 years, and, among many prestigious honors and awards, he’s included in the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans and serves as a member of the board.
He founded the International BookSmart Foundation, a nonprofit that has shipped millions of books, teachers’ supplies and opened more than 300 libraries on the continent of Africa.
A native of High Point, Brown began his career as a police officer for the city of High Point in 1956, then served as a highly regarded federal agent with the U.S. Department of Treasury focusing on federal narcotics cases. In the late 1960s, Brown left the Bureau to return to High Point and open B&C Associates, a public relations company.
Recently, Brown authored the book, “You Can’t Go Wrong Doing Right,” a memoir that takes readers behind the scenes of pivotal moments in his life.
Chris Henson, a 1983 graduate of HPU, is president and chief operating officer at BB&T. He is a native of Boone, North Carolina, and graduated cum laude from HPU, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Since January 2009, he has served as the chief operating officer. Henson has been a board member for various chambers of commerce, foundations and nonprofits, served as chairman of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and has served 11 years as a member of the HPU Board of Trustees.
Henson is a graduate of the Young Executive Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Duke University Advanced Management Program. He began his banking career in 1985 when he entered BB&T’s Management Development program and served BB&T in various capacities before being named chief financial officer in July 2005.
As a student, Henson was a member of Alpha Chi honor society, Delta Mu Delta honorary business fraternity, Junior Marshalls, Society for the Advancement of Management and Baptist Student Union. In 2015, Henson received the HPU Alumnus of the Year award.