North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger filled the remaining vacant seat on UNC-Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees last month, appointing construction company president William “Brian” Allen to serve for two years.

A release from the university shared the news on Tuesday, with Allen being selected by the state government chamber to fill the role of Brad Briner — who departed the Board of Trustees following his election as North Carolina Treasurer in November. Allen will serve out the remaining two years on the term, which runs through June 30, 2027.

“I am honored for the opportunity to serve on the Board and help build a strong future for UNC-Chapel Hill and the next generation of North Carolinians,” Allen said in the university’s release. “I love North Carolina and believe our state is growing and prospering because of our higher education system. I’m excited to bring my private sector experience managing people-focused companies to support the University’s commitment to student excellence and success.”

Allen is a Wake County resident, who spent his higher education years at Campbell University earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He has served as the president of Precision Walls for two decades, which is based out of Cary and which his parents founded in the 1970s. Among the company’s highlights, according to UNC, is a transition to a fully employee-owned business model that Allen oversaw in 2019. Precision Walls has worked on some UNC System projects in the past — including interior finishes for East Carolina University’s student center and the North Carolina Heart & Vascular Hospital at Raleigh’s UNC Health Rex, according to the Carolina Alumni Review.

While most of the 15-person board that oversees the university’s finances and development is appointed by the UNC System’s Board of Governors, six seats are reserved for the North Carolina House and Senate leaders to pick. Since Briner was an appointee of Berger, the long-time state Senate president got to fill the role. North Carolina Auditor Dave Boliek’s seat was filled by the Board of Governors earlier this year with the appointment of Ritch Allison, a longtime Domino’s Pizza executive and current member of Starbucks’ Board of Directors.

Additionally, two other sitting trustees saw their tenure on the board extended. UNC said the Senate formally reappointed Marty Kotis and the House of Representatives appointed Vinay Patel to new terms, which will run through June 30, 2029.

The UNC Board of Trustees is set to meet on Wednesday, July 30 and Thursday, July 31 for its first gathering and business meeting of the new academic year.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC System Interim President Not Seeking Full-Time Appointment
UNC system interim president Bill Roper announced on Wednesday afternoon that he will continue to serve in the role until June 30, 2020, but he will not seek the full-time role. Roper announced his decision in a letter to vice chair of the UNC System Board of Governors Randy Ramsey. In it, he said it […]
UNC System Replaces Diversity Policy, President Preaches Institutional Neutrality
The UNC System repealed its policy on diversity and inclusion on Thursday, which will scale back such such efforts on campuses statewide.
System President Tabs Lee Roberts as UNC-Chapel Hill's Interim Chancellor
The UNC System announced Lee H. Roberts, a sitting member of the system's Board of Governors, as the interim UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor.
UNC System Selects Peter Hans as New President
The University of North Carolina System selected Peter Hans as its newest president during its Board of Governors meeting on Friday. The board shared the news Friday morning after convening in closed session to hear a report from its presidential search committee. Hans, who is currently serving as the president of the North Carolina Community College […]
UNC System Shares Changes to Presidential Search, Annual Budget Amid Pandemic
The role of permanent president for the University of North Carolina System has been unclear for more than a year, as the system has worked to find a long-term replacement for Margaret Spellings. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the wait may last even longer than planned. Spellings’ resignation last March means the system’s Board of […]
State Budget Impasse Looms Large Over UNC System Board Meeting
The continued budget standoff in the North Carolina legislature loomed large at the UNC System’s first Board of Governors meeting of 2020. The state government’s day-long session earlier in the week, which led to no resolution between Democratic lawmakers and Republican lawmakers over the proposed budget, dominated the comments of system leadership on Friday from […]
UNC Faculty Chair: We Need to Work Together for the Good of the UNC System
Tensions around the UNC System were brought to a fever pitch Tuesday with protests taking place on campuses across the state to correspond with the first day under new System President Margaret Spellings. One issue that has been Spellings past criticism of a PBS station that used funding on a cartoon with lesbian characters in […]
UNC Trustees Push Back on Proposed Tuition Increase, Ask For Higher Hikes on Out-Of-State Students
The UNC Board of Trustees balked at an initial proposal to consider increasing undergraduate tuition for the first time in nine years.
'We Don't Plan To': Chancellor Downplays Potential That UNC Signs Trump Admin's Higher Ed Compact
Chancellor Lee Roberts told faculty UNC will not sign the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" in its current form.
William ‘Brian’ Allen Rounds Out 2025-2027 UNC Board of Trustees with Appointment
Construction company president William "Brian" Allen will serve the two remaining years of a seat on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees.
›