Joining the board are:
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – The Winthrop University Foundation announces the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors for 2020.
Joining the board are Andy Popenfoose ’07 of Warsaw, Indiana; Chris Tidwell ’85 of Canton, Michigan; and Andy Wilson ’96 of Baltimore, Maryland. The Foundation Board of Directors is composed of alumni and friends of Winthrop University.
Bob Breakfield, Winthrop professor emeritus of business law, serves as current president of the Board of Directors and is energized by the potential of its newest leadership.
“We are very fortunate to have three dynamic alumni joining our team as we continue to support strategic Winthrop objectives and the overall mission of the university,” Breakfield said. “Our newest board members will contribute meaningful business expertise and experience, and position Winthrop to make notable strides in the coming years.”
Andy Popenfoose ’07 is the chief investment officer for SYM Financial Advisors. Prior to working with SYM, he taught courses in investments and portfolio management at Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business. Popenfoose obtained his MBA from Winthrop and a bachelor’s degree in management and a master’s degree in finance from Purdue University.
He recently was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Popenfoose lives in Indiana with his spouse, Caroline.
Chris Tidwell ’85 is the CEO of Magformers, an innovative STEM-focused toy company. In 2012, Tidwell joined the company, which had one brand and 14 items. Magformers now has seven brands and over 600 items and ships to 60 countries worldwide. The company – headquartered in Canton, Michigan – has won numerous awards and accolades for becoming an industry leader in magnetic building toys for children.
Tidwell studied communications at Winthrop and after graduating, spent 12 years helping build the LEGO company. Tidwell, who was raised in Charleston, South Carolina, previously served as vice president for sales and business development at Wild Planet Entertainment and was a sales manager for MEGA Brands from 1999-2007. His spouse, Brenda, is also a Winthrop alumna and they have three children: William, Andrew and Daniel.
Andy Wilson ’96 is dean of academic and student services at Johns Hopkins University. He previously served as a senior associate dean for external relations at Emory University. Wilson also has held positions at Virginia Commonwealth University and Washington University.
The Kappa Sigma Fraternity alumnus studied psychology at Winthrop and went on to obtain a master’s degree in higher education and policy studies a Virginia Tech. He also holds a Ph.D. in counseling and human development from the University of Georgia.
Wilson is a member of the Winthrop Leadership Society. In 2011, the Winthrop Alumni Association awarded him the Alumni Professional Achievement Award. Wilson lives with his spouse, Matt Engelhardt, in Maryland.
For more information on how to support Winthrop University or to learn more about the impact the Winthrop University Foundation has on the mission of the university, please contact the Division of University Advancement at 800/801-1083.
