About

Board of Trustees

Fishburne-Hudgins Educational Foundation, Inc.

Board of Trustees

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Fishburne Military School is governed by the Fishburne-Hudgins Educational Foundation, Inc. This Board of Trustees was established in 1951 and continues today. The F-HEF is dedicated to preserving and furthering Professor James Fishburne’s mission:

“To have here an institution which shall rank as first class in everything that constitutes true worth, and from which shall go forth loyal, earnest and industrious young men, well-equipped for the duties and responsibilities of life, and above all else, to maintain a high standard of honor and integrity in the Corps of Cadets.”
— Professor James Fishburne

List of 20 items.

  • Michael S. Kennedy—Chairman

    Elected 2023
    Alumnus: Class of 1962
    Retired Actor, Marketing Consultant, Public Speaker, and Entrepreneur

    "FMS changed my life. I would like to return that favor."

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  • R. Keith Shackleford, Esq.—Vice Chairman

    Elected 2007
    Alumnus: Class of 1988
    Partner, Warren, Shackleford & Thomas PLLC
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  • Edward C. ‘Ted’ Moroney, III—Treasurer

    Elected 1992
    Alumnus: Class of 1973
    General Manager, Intellidyne
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  • Linda Hershey—Secretary

    Elected 2020
    Alumnus Parent
    Retired President & CEO of the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce 


    “On his first day as a tenth grader, my son, Glenn, pointed out a cadet officer carrying his sword and said he wanted to have one like that in the future. Before I could respond, he said, “but I know I will have to earn it!” Earn it, indeed. That sword symbolizes great pride, strong will and hard work by a cadet.”
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  • Joseph M. Johnson, Jr.—Chairman Emeritus

    Elected 2013
    Alumnus: Class of 1971
    Retired IT Specialist

    “Because of our cadet uniforms, we are equal. This means our cadets learn they can do anything regardless of their color, religion—a willingness to work hard and to exercise honesty in their dealings will take them very far.”

    “I grew up in a rural area of North Carolina and had very little exposure to anyone from another country.  During my time as a cadet, Fishburne had several foreign cadets from Thailand and South America. This early exposure, including a roommate from Thailand, gave me quite a head start in learning that people are people regardless of where they are from.”

     
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  • BG William W. Alexander, Jr. (VA)

    Trustee

    Elected 2014
    Alumnus: Class of 1964
    U.S. Army (RET) and Former FMS Superintendent
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  • Erik D. Baines, Esq.

    Trustee
    Elected 2023
    Alumnus: Class of 1998
    Attorney, Brooks & Baez
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  • SFC Tarek G. Bathiche, USA (Ret)

    Trustee
    Elected 2023
    Alumnus: Class of 2001
    Retired U.S. Army
    Technical Operations Specialist at SR Technologies

  • Betsy Bell

    Trustee

    Elected 2023
    Parent of Alumnus, Class of 2022
    Mental Health Professional
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  • Edward H. Clement

    Trustee

    Trustee
    Elected 1991
    Alumnus: Class of 1951
    Retired, Historic Preservation
     
    “Fishburne helped me mature in ‘the proper way’ at a critical time in my life. While there I grew from a child into a young man. Fishburne teaches lessons that we realize and then lessons we only realize later as we proceed through our lives. You can leave Fishburne, but Fishburne will never leave you.”
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  • C. Warren Coughlin, CFP

    Trustee
    Elected 2023
    Alumnus: Class of 2006
    Financial Advisor – Private Wealth Management
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  • C. Richard Cranwell, Jr.

    Trustee
    Elected: 2023
    Alumnus: Class of 1983
    VP Governmental Relations, American Healthcare, LLC

  • Shirley M. Crowder

    Trustee

    Elected 2002
    Parent of Alumnus and Spouse of Alumnus 
    Owner, Bradham Auto Electric
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  • Robert L. Grey

    Trustee

    Elected 2002
    Alumnus: Class of 1983
    Founder and Chief Executive Officer, IntelliDyne
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  • Jay A. Langston, Ph.D.

    Trustee
    Elected 2025
    Executive Director, Shenandoah Valley Partnership
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  • Robert C. Miller, Ed.D

    Trustee

    Elected 2014
    Retired, Former FMS Superintendent

    “The experiences at Fishburne along with the relationships with many cadets and adults were invaluable in helping me navigate through life to where I am today.”
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  • N. Douglas Payne

    Trustee

    Elected 2010
    Alumnus: Class of 1984
    Co-Founder and Partner, www.plug-RVA.com
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  • J. Edwin Robbins

    Trustee
    Elected: 2023
    Alumnus: Class of 1975
    Retired, Property Management 

  • Scott Simons

    Trustee
    Dealer Principal, Simons Chevrolet GMC

  • COL Spencer L. Smith, USA (RET)

    Trustee

    Elected 2022
    Alumnus: Class of 1985
    Retired U.S. Army, Director of Government Procurement for Gilchrist Law Firm, P.A. and Gilchrist Global Strategies
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225 South Wayne Avenue
Waynesboro, VA 22980
FISHBURNE.ORG
admissions@fishburne.org

Our Mission

To innovate and create the military school for the twenty first century. One that redefines what it means to graduate young men with the skills to move forward wherever their lives take them with CHARACTER \ KINSHIP \ AGENCY.
Fishburne Military School has earned the US Army’s highest level of accreditation and maintained its designation as a JROTC Honor Unit With Distinction for over 40 years. We may also nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academies and host one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation, accredited by US Army Cadet Command.