Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently named five appointees to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
They are Starlette Barker Johnson of Dallas, Texas; Ryan McCarthy of Mclean, Virginia; Jim Miller of Waterford, Virginia; J. Pearson of Fort Myers Beach, Florida; and Jeanne Stosser of Blacksburg, Virginia.
“Our new board members possess a broad range of experience and expertise that will be especially valuable as we explore the best ways to serve the commonwealth in the years ahead,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. “We look forward to working with them to elevate our university’s global distinction, while providing an outstanding university experience that is accessible and affordable for Virginia families.”
Johnson is board chair for Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and serves on the board for Jack’s Family Restaurant Group. She has held leadership positions with global brands throughout her career, including director of finance at KFC, president and chief operating officer of Dave & Buster’s, and executive president and chief strategic officer for Brinker International. Johnson earned a bachelor’s in finance from Virginia Tech and an MBA from Duke University. She is a member of the university’s Ut Prosim, Legacy, and Pylon societies of donors; chaired the Virginia Tech Foundation Board; and has served on the Advisory Council and Cabinet and the Hospitality and Tourism Management Advisory Board for the Pamplin College of Business.
McCarthy was U.S. Secretary of the Army from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that, he was appointed by both Presidents Bush and Obama as the special assistant to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. McCarthy served in the 75th Ranger Regiment during the United States invasion of Afghanistan. In 2019, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. McCarthy’s private sector career includes working at HSBC and at Lockheed Martin. As a Lockheed Martin vice president, he was responsible for the sustainment, customer solutions, and program integration of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. McCarthy earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the Virginia Military Institute and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
Miller has spent the majority of his career supporting the United States intelligence community and Department of Defense. He has founded and served as president and CEO of four companies since 2002, most recently Quantum Leap, which focuses on solutions to projected challenges to U.S. national security. Miller’s earlier ventures include Applied Security Inc., Vulnerability Research Labs, and Strategic Resources International. He earned a bachelor’s in computer science from Virginia Tech. Miller is a member of the university’s Ut Prosim, 1872, and Pylon societies of donors. He served on the advisory boards for the College of Engineering and its Department of Computer Science. The college inducted him into its Academy of Engineering Excellence in 2023.
Pearson was raised on his family farm in Midland, Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1987 with a bachelor’s in agricultural economics. While at Virginia Tech, Pearson was a member of the Corps of Cadets, earning a commission as a second lieutenant in the Virginia Army National Guard, serving for nine years. In 1996, he founded Carry-On Trailer, with seven plants in six states and 1,200 employees. Pearson is currently executive chairman of Vehicle Accessory Inc., a leading supplier of vehicle accessories with over 1,000 employees in the United States and Canada. He is a Virginia Tech Foremost Benefactor and a President’s Circle member of the university’s Ut Prosim Society of donors. Pearson also serves as a tri-chair of the Boundless Impact Campaign Steering Committee. He is the past chairman of the Corps of Cadets Alumni Board and a former member of the Virginia Tech Foundation Board. Pearson serves as a professor of practice for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, where he is also a member of the Advisory Board and earned the Outstanding Alumni Leadership Award. He is married to Renae Pearson ’90 and has two grown children, Anna Kate Bills ’18 and Will Pearson ’20.
As president of SAS Construction and CMG Leasing, Stosser is among Southwest Virginia’s leading developers and property owners, responsible for a broad range of residential and commercial locations. She is a member of Virginia Tech’s Ut Prosim, 1872, and Pylon societies of donors, and serves on the Blackwood Department of Real Estate Industry Advisory Board, W.E. Skelton 4-H Education Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake Board of Directors, and Virginia Tech Athletic Fund Board of Directors. Stosser is also a member of the Front Court group of Hokie Men’s Basketball supporters. Additionally, she serves on the Virginia Advisory Board of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.
