A Note from president-Elect Brown

June 13, 2011

Dear LWMA Alumni and Parents of Alumni:
What an exciting time we find ourselves in at Lyman Ward Military Academy (LWMA).  In four short years, with the leadership of COL Bill Jenrette, the faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, and alumni, LWMA is on a path back to success.  Much has been done in the last four years to bring this great institution from the brink of closure to 140 cadets strong.  But the hard work is not yet done!
I am Brigadier General (BG) David Brown.  I was born and raised in Ozark, Alabama and graduated from Auburn University.  I have been a proud serving member of the Alabama Army National Guard for over 27 years.  In May, I was selected by the Board of Trustees for the position of President-Elect at LWMA.  In this capacity, I will be working closely with COL Jenrette as well as the faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, and alumni this coming year in preparation to assume the Presidency next May.  I began discussions about working at LWMA with COL Jenrette back in 2008.  Through hundreds of conversations and several visits with my family, we fell in love with this institution and will do everything within our power to make it the great school that you all desire. 
Since 1898, this institution has been on a long journey, a journey that at times was filled with highs and lows.  Dr. Lyman Ward himself encountered years of dwindling enrollment and financial instability.  One of the darkest times for LWMA was most recently, prior to COL Jenrette assuming the helm to turn this school from the dark into the light.  He has done it against all odds due to the deepest economic recession our country has seen in many decades and has succeeded exceptionally well despite a shoestring budget.  COL Jenrette shared his feelings that LWMA’s future is bright, yet more hard work is before us.  Over the next few years, we will work diligently together to help LWMA reach its full potential. 
To relieve the school of the burden of two presidency positions, I will be working part-time this year as I learn the day-to-day tasks of the job.  COL Jenrette wants to slowly wind down with me taking more responsibility as the year progresses, resulting in my assumption as President at the end of the 2011 school year.  My intentions are to let COL Jenrette work as much or little as he desires in the 2012-2013 school year, and we want him to join the Board of Trustees whenever he desires to do so.  We all can appreciate COL Jenrette’s hard work for and unwavering dedication to LWMA these last few years, and further appreciate the fact that he now deserves to spend time with Ursala and his family.
COL Jenrette has asked me to focus on four specific areas this year.  The four areas include:  alumni relations, recruiting, retention, and fundraising.  Recruiting and retention are staples of the Army National Guard and areas within which I am highly experienced.  COL Jenrette, MAJ’s Watson, Kelly and Damron, as well as others work extremely hard at recruiting and yet we believe we can do even better.  In the near future, we will make some modifications and improvements to our recruiting policy and you, the alumni, will have an opportunity to help.  You are a critical link.
Retention is based on retaining the cadets we have at campus, and doing so requires positive communication and feedback from all of us to them and their parents.  Parents and cadets are our customers, and great customer service is mandatory.  Communication is the key. 
Recently, the Governor cut our 2011-2012 appropriations by 68%.  Next year we will adopt an aggressive campaign with all of the state Senators and District Legislators to increase the following year’s appropriations.  You will certainly be asked to help with this campaign.  Obviously, fundraising will remain critical in the coming years.  Many of our buildings and infrastructure need serious attention.  We also must build a new chapel as soon as possible and pay off our remaining debt.  We need to grow our alumni base significantly as well.  I will work with Harold Grant, Amanda Kelly, the 2011 Alumni of the Year Brian Brunner, and the rest of the Alumni Association to reach out and increase this base.  Until we can build a stronger communications foundation, I ask you use Facebook, Twitter or any other means of making contact so others can stay up-to-date about LWMA and its successes.  For example, did you know that we won our first state title in school history in soccer this year? 
For those larger groups of alumni who are concentrated in areas like Birmingham, Gadsden, Atlanta, etc., we would like to begin holding small alumni meetings.  While there, we will listen to your concerns, take your ideas and suggestions, share our plans for moving the school forward, and communicate our needs so that together we can develop new plans for building a better network of alumni and friends of LWMA and a better LWMA! 
I ask for your support and assistance in any way possible.  Our initial goal is to grow our enrollment to 200 cadets by the end of 2012!  This is a monumental task – a task that will take the full support of the faculty, staff, alumni, current and former parents, and the Board of Trustees.  One of the quickest ways to financial solvency is by filling desks and beds with cadets.  Fundraising and an increased cadet population via recruiting and retention are the lifeblood for LWMA.  Will you help?
It is an honor for me, my wife Patti, and our son Logan to join the LWMA family.  I am so excited about the job at hand and the opportunities to get to know the staff, faculty, cadets, and alumni.  Together, we will use every ounce of energy to take this school to new heights.  I look forward to meeting you soon.
Sincerely,

BG David R. Brown
President-Elect, LWMA