Meeks, Comment Named to William Jewell’s Board of Trustees; Holland named Vice Chair

Cordell D. Meeks, Jr., District Court Judge for the 29th Judicial District of Kansas, has been named as a member of the Board of Trustees at William Jewell College. Meeks previously served as senior partner in the law firm of Meeks, Sutherland and McIntosh. He also served as presiding judge of the Municipal Court of Kansas City, Kansas, and as president of the Kansas Municipal Judges Association. He received a B.A. degree in political science in 1964, and a J.D. in 1967 from the University of Kansas and its law school. At K.U., he won election to the Student Council, was a member of Sachem of Omicron Delta Kappa, senior men’s honor society, and was president of his law school senior class. Meeks currently serves as vice-chairman of the board of directors of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, YouthFriends, Children’s Mercy Hospital and Swope Health Services. He presently sits on the board of directors of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, the Midwest Research Institute, Rockhurst University, the Truman Presidential Museum and Library, the Truman Good Neighbor Award Foundation, the Native Sons of Greater Kansas City and Swope Community Enterprises. He also sits on the board of governors of the Lied Performance Fund for the Lied Center at the University of Kansas, and the Wyandotte County Advisory board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Liberty Memorial Association. Currently, Meeks’ service also extends to membership on the Kansas Commission on Veteran’s Affairs. He has served as Judge Advocate General and Senior Military Judge of the Kansas Army National Guard, where he retired with the rank of full colonel. He also served as Sire Archon (president) of Theta Boule of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity and now serves as a member of the board of trustees of First A.M.E. Church.

Martha B. Comment of Kansas City, Mo., has also been named as a member of the Board of Trustees at William Jewell College. A graduate of Avila College in Kansas City, Mo., Comment received her master’s of social welfare from the University of Kansas and has completed post-graduate studies at Family Institute Associates. She is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker in the state of Kansas and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Missouri. Since 1995, she has served as a therapist to individuals and couples at Christian Psychology Services in Overland Park, Kan. Comment is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), as well as the Missouri and Kansas state chapters of the Association. She is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and a member of the Christian Association of Psychological Studies, where she is currently serving as a board member for the Southwest Region. She is also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Comment’s volunteer service extends to the Symphony League, where she co-chaired the Symphony Ball in 2003 and is President-elect for 2006. She has also served on the board of Missouri Repertory Theatre and is Chair-elect for the board of Women’s Employment Network for 2006. She has also served on the boards of Kansas City Young Life and the Heart of America Family Services.

In addition, John J. Holland has been named to the position of Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees. Holland, who is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Butler Manufacturing Company in Kansas City, Mo., joined the board in 1999. He has previously served as Chair of the Planning and Resources Committee.