Former Averett president now at Stratford House

By JONNELLE DAVIS Register & Bee staff writer

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

DANVILLE, Va. - Former Averett University president Frank R. Campbell has come out of retirement, again.

He retired as president of Averett in June 2002 after having led the institution for 17 years. Just a few months later, he returned to college administration when he accepted the job as president of Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C. He retired from that position in June 2005.

These days instead of leading young adults as they work toward their educational goals, Campbell will be leading the senior community at the Stratford House as interim executive director.

“My wife says that I have flunked retirement,” Campbell said during an interview Tuesday.

Campbell, who started his new position on Monday, replaces Scott Rittenhouse, who resigned in mid-July.

Campbell said he considers the residents at Stratford to be his peers, and he spent his first two days on the job listening to their concerns. Campbell’s general goal is to help Stratford House become the “premier retirement community in Southside Virginia.” More specifically, he plans to make some physical improvements on the property and implement some recreational and lifestyle changes for the residents.

Campbell and Stratford House Marketing Director Kathy Gray also plan to make the retirement community more visible to the public.

“I want this place to be full with a waiting list,” Campbell said.

Stratford House has approximately 85 residents in its residential and assisted-living programs. He leads a part- and full-time staff of approximately 50.

Campbell said he is unsure how long he will stay on as executive director, but said he does not intend to leave until he accomplishes what he came to do.

Campbell was tapped to lead the retirement community because of his “outstanding reputation, experience as an administrator and service as a member of the Board of Stratford House,” according to John Lambert, spokesman for Danville Regional Medical Center.

Lambert did not give a timeline for naming a permanent replacement.

In addition to his tenures at Averett and Gardner-Webb, Campbell also was a pastor for 30 years and is a former president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Stratford House staff members appear glad to have Campbell on board. Two members of the housekeeping staff gave him friendly waves as he walked the halls Tuesday afternoon. Both Gray and chief accounting officer Stacey Moss said they were excited about Campbell’s presence and looked forward to working with him on his vision for Stratford House.

Campbell, a Roanoke native, resides in Danville with his wife Janet. He has two daughters and four grandchildren.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at jdavis@registerbee.com or (434) 791-7984.