Mark graduated from Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and then earned his Juris Doctor from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law. Mark was employed with Cincom Systems, Inc., from 1977 to 1993.
In 1995 he became president of Daymar College, in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 2000 he became president of Draughons Junior College and in 2004 he became president of Paducah Technical College.
Mark serves as a board member for the Kentucky State Board for Proprietary Education, Kentucky Association of Career Colleges & Schools (KACCS), Tennessee Association for Independent Colleges & Schools (TAICS), and Taltree Arboretum.
John Edge
John has been President of First Security Bank of Owensboro for the past five years.
He was instrumental with the start-up of the bank in 1997 and presided over the lending area.
Prior to his employment with First Security Bank, he was employed with Owensboro National Bank and Farm Credit Services. Mr. Edge is a long-time resident of Owensboro; however he did spend ten years in Virginia and graduated from Virginia Tech.
He spends both time and energy on his family farm. In addition, John is the incoming President of the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden. John and his wife, Marianne, are members of Settle Memorial Methodist Church and are both active in the community.
Don Taylor
Donald Taylor was born to a minister father and a black foot Indian mother. He was raised in a godly home with much love but very little money. Don worked as a janitor in order to attend and graduate in 1969 from Brescia college with a bachelor’s degree majoring in economics and statiscal analysis with minors in business administration, accounting and psychology. He fell in love and married his best friend Patty McNeeley. They have been married for 38 years and have been blessed with two children Tony and Michelle and three grandchildren Madison, Olivia, and Naomi.
Donald started working in the education field in 1973. He has worked with over 150 colleges and universities. He has also worked with many major corporations and governmental agencies in the area of program development establishing over 1,500 training programs in 43 states through his company Taylor and associates. He has received awards from many of these national organizations and companies.
He currently works for Daymar College Group as vice-president of business development. Donald was asked to join the Daymar Foundation board in 2005 due to his strong community involvement and his proven desire to help people change their lives.
Dudley Cooper
Dudley serves as the Director of Grayson County/Leitchfield Economic and Community Development Commission since 2008. He worked for five years prior to 2008 as the Director for Economic Development and Community Development in Ohio County. There Dudley was instrumental in recruiting and maintaining industry.
Prior to his employment as Economic and Community Development Director, he served in public office in Ohio County. He was Judge/Executive of that county for 13 years. He was instrumental in tremendous growth of Ohio County during those years. He assisted in the recruitment of Purdue Farms, the establishment of Bluegrass Crossings Regional Industrial Park, the purchase and restoration of the Bill Monroe home, and the recruiting of several other industries. He has served on many national, state, regional, and local boards, task forces, and committees over the past 20 years. Currently, he is serving on the National IBMM Board, the Kentucky Congressional Pride Environmental Committee, the Lincoln Trail ADD Economic Development Committee, and the Daymar Foundation Board. This is how Dudley spends his time and energy – by serving public causes that are important to him.
Dudley and his wife Susan are active in their community. They have both been long time supporters of educational improvement efforts. They reside in Owensboro, Kentucky. They have one daughter, Caitlin, who is a student at Transylvania University.
Jody Lassiter
A 39-year-old native of Almo in Calloway County, Kentucky, Jody Lassiter is an attorney currently serving as the President/CEO of the Danville/Boyle County Economic Development Partnership (EDP). Lassiter supports the advancement of the economic development profession and policy as a member of the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED), for which he also serves as Public Policy Committee Chairman; the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)’s Public Policy Advisory Committee; and the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC).
He previously served as Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Local Government (DLG, now the Governor’s Office for Local Development or GOLD), the state’s chief community development agency housed within the Office of the Governor. He holds the distinction of being appointed at 31 years of age the youngest Commissioner in the history of DLG as well as the youngest agency head in the Governor’s Executive Cabinet.
Lassiter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in a double major of political science and history from the University of Mississippi in 1991, graduating magna cum laude, and received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Louisville School of Law in 1994.
Lassiter and his wife Kelley have two children, Jacob (age 7) and Alana (age 5).
Noel Clayton
Noel is a native of Tell City, Indiana. He attended Kentucky Wesleyan College on a baseball scholarship. He graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in 1981.
Noel currently is one of three partners that owns and operates BNC Direct Management, Worldwide Home Entertainment, and Trio Media businesses. Prior to starting his own company, Noel worked with Wax Works Video Works as the Vice President of Video Division from 1984-2002.
He has served on the YMCA Board of Directors, the National Association of Video Distributors Board, and is presently serving on the Transylvania Parents Council. Noel currently heads up the Scholarship Committee for the Daymar Foundation Board of Directors.
Noel resides in Owensboro, KY with his wife Brenda. Noel and Brenda have two grown sons, Matthew and Kyle.
Melva Hale
Melva is an educator with over twenty-five years experience in public school, corporate education, and career college sectors. She has over
fifteen years experience in the Career College arena serving as Dean
of Students, Placement Director, Academic Dean and College Campus
Director at Draughons Junior College and Daymar College in Bowling Green, KY.
She has also served as a board member for the Kentucky State Board for
Proprietary Education.
Melva and her husband Richard share a life focused on community service,
two sons, one daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and
Plano Baptist Church where Richard serves as Pastor. Daymar College completes the family circle for them.
Advisory Board Members and Foundation Committee Members
