W&M appoints interim chief human resources officer
Robert “Bob” Green, a longtime senior administrator at Virginia Military Institute, has been named interim chief human resources officer at William & Mary.
Green started Jan. 2 in the job vacated by John Poma, who left at the end of 2018 to take an executive position in the private sector.
A national search for a chief human resources officer will begin in early January with a search committee overseeing the effort.
“I’m really truly honored to be here and excited about it,” Green said. “Everyone has been so very welcoming and supportive.”
Sam Jones, W&M senior vice president for finance and administration, knew Green through professional organizations and asked him to come out of retirement in the local area to help out, Green said.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Green said. “I think that obviously William & Mary is a great institution and that translates into great people. And the folks that have gone before have set a pretty high bar for the reputation that William & Mary enjoys.
“So I’d like to think that we can help a lot with recruiting good people, creating opportunities for personal growth for folks, as well as trying to do a good job on our part and then help others with communications.”
Green retired to Williamsburg with his wife Carole in 2017 after 20 years working at his alma mater VMI, the last 17 as deputy superintendent for finance, administration and support. Prior to that, he spent three years in a staff position in student affairs and as an adjunct professor in civil engineering.
Upon Green’s retirement, the VMI Board of Visitors established a scholarship in honor of him and his wife.
He had previously worked at the Lynchburg, Virginia, architectural and engineering firm Wiley & Wilson, where he served as president for several years. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, Green holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from VMI and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia. He was commissioned directly into the Army Corps of Engineers from VMI and served one year as a lieutenant in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1970 for which he received two Army Bronze Star Medals and a Commendation Medal.
