Gov. Josh Shapiro this week appointed longtime State College resident and AccuWeather senior vice president Evan Myers to serve as his designee on the Penn State Board of Trustees.
Pennsylvania’s governor is an ex officio and non-voting member of the Penn State board. They historically have rarely attended the university’s board meetings and appoint a delegate to serve as a representative in their absence. Shapiro was sworn in for his first term as governor in January, and Myers, a Penn State alumnus, is his first designee to the board.
“I am honored to have been chosen by Governor Shapiro to be his representative/designee to the Penn State Board of Trustees when he is unable to attend,” Myers said in a statement. “In this non-voting position, I will be the eyes and ears of the governor to relay items to him that arise at board meetings and be able to relay information back to the board when he is unable to attend.”
Myers, a former State College Borough Council member who is running for a new council term in 2023, said he has known Shapiro for about a decade. He has spoken with Shapiro from time to time about various issues and served on his inauguration committee.
Shapiro called him last week and asked if he would take on the designee role.
“When the governor calls, you don’t turn him down,” Myers said. “I believe in service and felt I could be of help to him.”
Myers added that his background will give him important perspective.
“As a Penn State alumnus and a resident of State College, I regard this position with the special meaning that those two affiliations deserve, understanding the great importance Penn State University has in the commonwealth and in the success of its students and the broader community,” he said. “As a former State College Council member and current candidate for council, I am mindful of the special relationship Penn State and the local community have with one another.”
The next meeting of the full Penn State Board of Trustees is scheduled for 1 p.m. on May 5 at the Engineering, Design & Innovation Building.
