To: Faculty, Staff, and Students
From: President Ashish Vaidya
Date: 07/07/22
Subject: Welcome Regents Nathan Smith and Brad Zapp
Dear Campus Community:
Please join me in welcoming Nathan Smith (’94) and Brad Zapp as new members of the Northern Kentucky University Board of Regents following their appointments this month by Governor Andy Beshear. Nathan and Brad replace Gregory Shumate and Normand Desmarais, respectively, and their terms will run through the 2027-28 academic year.
It will be a pleasure to work with these two outstanding stewards of the community, as we continue to advance our mission. Both Nathan and Brad bring years of service and commitment to NKU and the community. I look forward to the opportunity to work with them during their term as Regents.
This is Nathan’s third term on the Board of Regents. He previously served as chairman of the Board in 2015-16, and he was the student regent while serving as Student Government Association President in 1993-94. He is also a former president of the Alumni Association and is a member of the NKU Foundation Board of Directors. Nathan graduated from NKU with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1994 and just this past March, he received the Outstanding Alumnus Award at the annual NKU Alumni Awards ceremony. He is the co-founder and chief investment officer of Flagship Communities REIT.
Brad is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is the co-founder and managing partner of Connetic Ventures, founder and managing member of ZH Holdings, co-founder of Wendal and co-founder of SimpleCoin. At NKU, Brad serves on the advisory board for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
You can read more about both Nathan and Brad here. (Press Release)
Finally, I would like to thank Greg and Norm for their years of service on the Board. I am grateful to have partnered with each over the years in moving this institution forward as a student-ready and regionally engaged university.
Sincerely,
Ashish Vaidya
