July 30, 2016
Clifton Forge attorney Meade Snyder has been named to The Alleghany Foundation Board of Directors. He succeeds long-time board member Anne Wright, who has stepped down after serving 15 years on the board.
These changes took place at the annual meeting of The Alleghany Foundation Board of Directors on Friday, July 15. Also during this meeting, Mike Warwick was elected secretary/treasurer of the board. He will serve a three-year term in this office.
Wright was elected a director emeritus during the recent meeting.
“Fifteen years shows a tremendous commitment to our organization and the entire community,” said Dr. Michele K. Ballou, president of The Alleghany Foundation Board of Directors. “Anne has demonstrated compassion for our community and recognizes the needs of its residents. She has a vision for how to improve the Alleghany Highlands.”
“She also brings a good sense of humor,” Dr. Ballou added. “We will miss working with Anne on the board.”
Wright said she was most proud of The Alleghany Foundation’s $43.1 million awarded in grants during her 15-year tenure on the board.
“It was a joy to serve,” she said. “I hope I represented all the residents of the Alleghany Highlands. I feel extremely honored to have served.”
An eighth generation native of Alleghany County, Snyder lives and works in the Alleghany Highlands with his wife, Cathy, who is an eighth generation native of Bath County. He is a member of the law firm of Snyder & Snyder, PLC, of Clifton Forge, which focuses on the areas of estate planning and administration, commercial transactions, business law and commercial real estate.
Snyder earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Virginia. He also received his Juris doctor degree from UVA.
In addition to his duties with The Alleghany Foundation, Snyder is president and chair of the Masonic Theatre Preservation Foundation in Clifton Forge. He managed pre-construction development efforts and construction oversight for the comprehensive renovation of the 1905 Historic Masonic Theatre that recently celebrated its grand reopening.
Snyder is an advisory board member of Preservation Bath in Warm Springs. He assisted with initial organization of the board and the renovation efforts of the Warm Springs Pools. He is also a member of the Bath Community Hospital Board of Directors.
Snyder previously served as a board member on the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Educational Foundation and is a founding member and former treasurer for the Clifton Forge School of the Arts.
“I am honored to join The Alleghany Foundation board and look forward to being part of such an important and impactful community resource,” he said.
Following the July 15 board meeting, a reception was held at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs. During the reception, three members of the Allegheny Mountain String Project, an educational program of Garth Newel Music Center, performed for the board. These students were Julia Villegas – violin, Romeo D’Arpa- violin, and Vaden Lewis- cello. The Allegheny Mountain String Project has received six grants over a seven-year period from The Alleghany Foundation to provide scholarships for lessons and support for instruction and operation of the program. “The students’ performance was outstanding,” commented Wright, “and they showed the high level of commitment they and other students have made to learning their respective instruments and working together so beautifully.”
About The Alleghany Foundation: The Alleghany Foundation was established in 1995 in Covington with $35 million in proceeds from the sale of Alleghany Regional Hospital. The foundation’s vision is to be a resource for and partner with eligible organizations to make the Alleghany Highlands a civically engaged, prosperous region that builds upon its assets to produce opportunities for all its residents. The total annual awards from The Alleghany Foundation now add up to more than $54 million. For more information about the foundation, please visit www.AlleghanyFoundation.org.