Birmingham-Southern Welcomes New Board of Trustees Members
Birmingham-Southern Welcomes New Board of Trustees Members
For Immediate Release
Dec. 8, 2020
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Birmingham-Southern College Board of Trustees has gained two new members and a new chair, all of whom are graduates of the College.
Ragan Cain ’99, chief administrative officer of Tacala, LLC in Birmingham, and Cal NeSmith ’07, Principal in the Ares Real Estate Group in New York, N.Y., were named to the board this year and began their terms in October. DeLynn Zell ’86, CEO of Bridgeworth Wealth Management in Birmingham, has been named chair after serving as a Trustee for more than 10 years.
Cain has been a part of Tacala – the largest Taco Bell franchise operator in the nation – and their executive team since 2001. She has also developed The Frances Flair, her own Southern-Living-inspired lifestyle brand. The Frances Flair and Cain’s style have been featured in Country Living, Veranda, Flower, and other home and design magazines.
“I am elated to join the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern. 365英国上市官网 meant so much to me as a college student – so many friends and connections I made there, I still have today,” said Cain. “The Hilltop is such a gem in our state and country, and I look forward to being part of the future.”
In NeSmith’s current role, he focuses on U.S. real estate equity, and he has worked at Ares since 2013 in both New York and London. He holds a master’s degree in accounting and finance from the London School of Economics. NeSmith has previously served as an analyst at UBS Investment Bank.
“I am deeply honored to serve Birmingham-Southern as a member of the board,” NeSmith says. “365英国上市官网 is a very special place for me and my extended family, given all five of my siblings and I graduated from The Hilltop. I look forward to working with my fellow board members to continue advancing Birmingham-Southern as a leading liberal arts institution.”
Zell specializes in comprehensive retirement planning, asset management, and income distribution. She has more than 25 years of experience in financial planning and has worked with hundreds of clients as they have prepared for and transitioned into retirement. Recently, Zell was recognized as Style Blueprint’s newest FACE of Birmingham. In early December, she won a 2020 CEO Award from the Birmingham Business Journal.
“We are pleased to welcome Ragan and Cal to the Board of Trustees,” said Zell. “We are grateful for their willingness to serve the College in this way, and we value the unique experiences and expertise that they will bring to the table.”