Three new Board of Trustee members will experience their first BOT meeting today.

Robert C. Manion and Julie T. Nimmons were appointed as trustees by Governor George Ryan on Friday and Julie S. Ward was appointed in early March.

All three trustees are Eastern alumni, making the entire BOT composed of graduates of Eastern.

“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Robert Manion and Ms. Julie Nimmons to Eastern Illinois Board of Trustees,” said Jill Nilsen, acting vice president for external relations. “Both of them have had extensive involvement with Eastern and will bring to the board a great deal of knowledge and experience from their careers.”

Manion will be filling a vacancy left when the late Karl Koerner passed away; and Nimmons will be replacing Keith Branson of Mattoon, whose position was up for reappointment.

Manion, 59, a resident of Hindsdale, is a retired partner of Anderson Consulting, were he held numerous management positions until ultimately assuming the position of chief financial officer in 1996.

Currently he serves Eastern as executive vice president of School of Business accounting advisory board, treasurer of alumni services’ board of directors and chair of alumni services’ budget and finance committee.

In the past, Manion has served as member of the board of directors for numerous educational organizations in and around St. Louis including The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Missouri Citizens For The Arts-Education Fund, Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis and the LOGOS School of St. Louis.

Nimmons, 45, of Litchfield is president and CEO for Schutt Sports. She began working for Schutt Manufacturing Company in 1982 and within four years Nimmons purchased the company and became president and chairperson of the board. A year later Nimmons started Schutt Athletic Sales.

Nimmons and Manion graduated with bachelor degrees from Eastern in 1977 and 1966, respectfully.

The new appointments will bring the total number of Eastern’s Trustees to seven. Other trustees include; Nathaniel Anderson, interim chairperson; Betsy Mitchell, secretary; Jeffrey Lezotte and Roger Dettro.

Manion’s term is scheduled to expire in 2005 and Nimmons’ term is scheduled to expire in 2007. Ward, who was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of Mack W. Hollowell, graduated from Eastern with a master’s degree in 1980 and her term is scheduled to expire in 2007. Ward has also served an the EIU alumni board.