Trustees
By the terms of William R. Kenan, Jr.’s Will, full responsibility for making grants from the Trust is vested in its trustees.
The Trustees of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust are Thomas S. Kenan III, Lawrence L. Gray and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A represented by Robert Baynard and Mary G. Campbell. The Trust’s staff works with the Trustees to develop and implement grant strategies.
Tribute to James G. Kenan, lll | Retiring Trustee
After 10 years as a Trustee of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust, James G. Kenan, III retired as of June 30, 2020. A successful businessman for many years, Mr. Kenan brought to the oversight of the Charitable Trust both his business skills and his passion and advocacy for the support of individual’s basic needs. During his tenure as a Trustee, he encouraged the development of a holistic approach to supporting suffering communities; providing resources for building capacity in health, education, and economic development. The outcome of this effort is the Trust’s continuing Whole Community Health initiative. With his encouragement, the Trust expanded its work into both Florida and Kentucky.
Those who have come to rely on Mr. Kenan in so many ways will miss his unwavering commitment, his thoughtfulness, and his loyalty. His fellow Trustees salute Mr. Kenan for his dedication, his integrity and his sense of purpose and thank him for his exemplary service to the Charitable Trust.
Lawrence L. Gray | New Trustee
Mr. Gray became a Trustee of The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust on July 1, 2020, succeeding James G. Kenan III. He joined GrayCo, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer in January of 2010 after a 17year career in the real estate investment banking business. As the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gray oversees the development and execution of the Company’s strategic plan and business activities. Mr. Gray works with his senior management team to establish the Company’s asset allocation and develop and implement initiatives relating to portfolio strategy, acquisitions & dispositions, capital sourcing, human resources and investor relations.
Mr. Gray is also Chairman of the Gray Lumber Company Board of Directors. He has been a Board member since 1998 and Chairman since May 2016. Prior to joining GrayCo, Inc., Mr. Gray held a variety of senior management positions within Wachovia Corporation’s Real Estate Division (now First Union Bank ) including, most recently, direct responsibility for the Real Estate Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, Private Equity, Homebuilder Finance and Structured Finance groups. Prior to Wachovia, Mr. Gray worked in the real estate investment banking groups at J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley. Over the course of his investment banking career, Mr. Gray focused on providing strategic and financing advice and transaction execution to public and private real estate companies. During that time, he led and participated on teams that successfully completed transactions worth over $75 billion.
He currently serves on the Lexington Realty Trust (NYSE: LXP) Board of Trustees, the Community Foundation of Richmond Board of Governors, the University of North Carolina Board of Visitors, the James River Association Board of Directors, the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls Foundation Board and formerly served on the Woodberry Forest School Board of Trustees and the St. Catherine’s School Foundation Board. Mr. Gray has an A.B. in Economics from the University of North Carolina and a M.B.A. from the University of Virginia and lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife and three children.
Staff
Executive Director
Daniel W. Drake (Interim, as of July 2021)
Senior Evaluation Officer
& Grants Administrator
Catherine Fryszczyn
Executive Coordinator
Tinka Deal