St. Louis, MO, April 24 – The Jefferson National Parks Association (JNPA) today announced the recent election of seven new members to its Board of Directors. JNPA is a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization that supports educational programming, exhibits, special events and site improvements in 10 national parks and public lands throughout the Midwest. Its contributions are derived from the bookstores and other educational retail operations it runs for the parks. JNPA’s largest affiliated park is the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, better known as the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse in St. Louis.

The newly elected Directors are:

Dr. Benjamin Ola Akande, Dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology at Webster University;
Michael E. Kennedy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KAI Design & Build;
Erle Lionberger, community volunteer active in historic preservation;
Robert O’Loughlin, Chairman and CEO of Lodging Hospitality Management;
Kathy Reeves, Corporate Community Relations Director at Enterprise Rent-A-Car;
Rachel Seward, Assistant Vice President and St. Louis Civic Relationship Manager in Community Affairs for Wells Fargo Advisors;
Martha Uhlhorn, Owner and President of La Bonne Bouchee Wholesale Bakery and Gourmet to Go.

“We are delighted and gratified that JNPA has attracted such experienced and diverse leaders to our board,” said JNPA Board Chair Michael Hardgrove. “Their guidance will be invaluable as we continue to look for new ways to support our national park partners in the coming years.”

The seven new board members join 14 other JNPA Directors, including:

Michael Hardgrove, Chair
Karen Luebbert, Ph.D., Vice-Chair
Ivy Neyland-Pinkston, Treasurer
Cathy Dunkin, Secretary
Tom Villa, Immediate Past Chair
Peter Benoist
Michael P. Burke
Jeannine Cook
Tom Irwin
Eugene J. Mackey, III
Les Sterman
Blanche M. Touhill, PhD.
The Honorable George H. Walker, III
Charles A. Weiss.

David A. Grove serves the organization as President and CEO.