The King University Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to approve Robert H. “Scott” Maclellan as the board’s new chair and Nell King Bieger as vice chair, effective immediately.

Maclellan and Bieger were selected during the board’s semi-annual meeting, held Oct. 17 and 18, 2019. Both will serve in their respective roles through October 2021.

“We are delighted to welcome Mr. Maclellan and Ms. Bieger to their new roles on our Board of Trustees,” said Alexander Whitaker, president of King. “For many years they have invested their wisdom and experience in the King community, supporting our current students as well as coming generations. We are thankful for their exceptional example and look forward to our continued collaboration in advancing King.”

Maclellan was named to the Board of Trustees in 2009 and appointed vice chair in October 2014. A graduate of the University of Chattanooga, he serves as chair of the Maclellan Foundation and president of the Robert L. and Kathrina H. Maclellan Foundation, located in Chattanooga. He and his wife, Lisa, are the parents of four children.

Maclellan succeeds Warren E. Payne, who was elected board chair in October 2014.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank Warren Payne for his guidance and leadership over the past few years,” Maclellan said. “I look forward to working with him, my fellow board members, and the University’s administration to continue King’s success in providing its students with the knowledge and foundation they need to lead and serve in their future professions.”

Bieger is a partner in the Jones, King, Downs & Peel, P.C. law firm, located in Bristol, Tennessee, and was named to King’s Board of Trustees in 2015. She is a graduate (summa cum laude) of the University of Mississippi and received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia. She and her husband, Dan, are the parents of two sons.

“For more than 150 years, King has provided students in our region with access to higher education that is exceptional in quality, affordable, and grounded in the Christian faith,” Bieger said. “King also contributes significantly to the educational and cultural opportunities available to the community at large. I am excited to continue my work as vice chair, advocating for the University’s long-term success.”

The Board of Trustees holds the legal authority and responsibility for King University’s mission, financial stability, and institutional policies related to matters of strategic importance.