Two Wilmington businessmen were named to the UNCW Board of Trustees last week. Founder and executive chairman of PPD Inc., Fred Eshelman was appointed by Gov. Bev Perdue. Founder of Swain & Associates, H. David Swain, was appointed by the UNC Board of Governors. They fill the two vacancies on UNCW’s 13-member Board of Trustees.

Both Eshelman and Swain have given more than $1 million to support the university within the past few years.

In 2009, Swain and his wife Diane donated a gift to benefit the Cameron School of Business’ research and outreach division. For their donation, the university named the H. David and Diane Swain Center for Business and Economic Services in their honor. The Swains also created a scholarship fund to benefit the children of New Hanover County employees.

“We feel like education is the key to everyone's opportunities in life, and UNCW is the heart of the education program in eastern North Carolina,” Swain said in a press release.

Swain has held volunteer positions with the UNCW Endowment Board, the Cameron School of Business Executive Advisory Board, the Seahawk Club Board of Directors and the UNCW Board of Visitors, including a term as chairman of the board.

Eshelman has strong connections to UNCW as his wife April, daughter Kimberly and son-in-law Bryan Batten are alumni. He invested in the formation of UNCW’s clinical research program in the School of Nursing. And he has provided support for student-athlete scholarships. In 2008, he contributed $1 million for construction of a new academic center for student-athletes.

“Fred Eshelman is known throughout North Carolina as an advocate and supporter of higher education,” said Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo in a press release. “He is an accomplished innovator and entrepreneur who has inspired PPD to become a leading global contract research organization (CRO) over the past 25 years of providing drug discovery, development and lifecycle management services. UNCW is extremely fortunate to have a leader of Fred’s distinction on our Board of Trustees.”

The 2010-2011 UNCW Board of Trustees include Dr. M. Terry Coffey of Warsaw, Wilma Daniels of Wilmington, Jeff D. Etheridge Jr. of Whiteville, John A. (Sandy) McNeill Jr. of Whiteville, Wendy F. Murphy of Wallace, Linda A. Pearce of Wilmington, Britt A. Preyer of Greensboro, Gary K. Shipman of Wilmington, Michael B. Shivar of Kinston, George M. Teague of Raleigh, T. Matthew Victory of Wilmington, Fred Eshelman and H. David Swain of Wilmington. Board of Trustees can serve up to two four-year terms with reappointment.