Board President

Geri is President of the St. James Foundation of North Carolina and was significantly involved in its formation.  She has spent her career advocating for students, committed to providing a high-quality education for all.  She began as a high school math teacher and completed her 30 years plus career as a New Jersey School Superintendent.

Living in St. James for the last 9 years, Geri has been involved in making a difference in Brunswick County as a member and past president of the St. James Service Club.

She and her husband enjoy international travel, as well as traveling to visit their new grandchildren.  She also is a member of the Literary Sisters Book Club and an avid yoga practitioner.

Board Vice President

Before retiring as a partner at Troutman Pepper Locke, Rick represented financial institutions and non-regulated entities in a range of matters involving investment management, commercial and consumer financial services, public finance and trusts. Drawing upon many years of experience inside the banking industry and involvement in drafting key banking regulations, he is a trusted advisor on operational and regulatory issues.

Board Treasurer

Bruce has an extensive backround in the insurance business. Having worked primarily in the property and casualty area, he has experience in working with both businesses and individuals. After several mergers and acquisitions, his insurance partership was purchased by BB&T (now Truist).

Later, Bruce worked at Radford University in their advancement division. He retired in July 2018, as the Director of Planned Giving and served also as interim Vice-President of Advancement. In this role he worked closely with the Radford Unversity Foundation as a fund raiser.

Over the years, Bruce has served on several HOA Boards and was treasurer of several organizations. In addition, he served as President of the Home Builders Association of Virginia.

Since moving to St. James, he has taken up pickleball. He also enjoys golfing, fishing, boating, and meeting new people.

Board Secretary

Dr. Karen Hathaway Viani is a consultant and leadership coach focused on the technology sector with extensive experience in management, leadership development, and strategic planning.She is the founder and CEO of Breakthru Consulting, accelerating STEM initiatives for students, professionals, and organizations; and she serves as Chief Innovation Officer at The Catalyst Coalition, leading technology scouting, solution integration, and strategy initiatives that enable success for organizations across sectors. Karen’s career includes senior leadership roles at The MITRE Corporation, where she developed corporate-level strategies and delivered high-impact solutions addressing cybersecurity, humanitarian, and economic challenges. Earlier in her career, she led multi-million-dollar capital investment projects at Genuity and secured major USAF program contracts while at BAE Systems.

Karen holds a Doctorate in Engineering, an MBA, and multiple professional certifications. She serves on several technology startup company boards, and previously was a member of the Board of Governors at Bishop O’Connell High School, in Arlington, VA. A frequent invited speaker and published author, she is dedicated to fostering innovation, advancing STEM education, and supporting the academic success of future generations.

Board Member

Julie A. Frazier is the Executive Vice President of St. James Properties, LLC, bringing more than 25 years of experience in real estate community marketing and management. In the early years of St. James, Julie played an integral role in the community’s development, serving on the St. James POA Board of Directors, the Architectural Control Committee, and the Chapel Board. She also served as the developer/owner liaison during the original design and construction of the Members, Players, and Reserve Clubhouses and other amenities.

A native of Eden, North Carolina, Julie was introduced to real estate and development at an early age through her father, John Atkinson. This early exposure inspired her career in the industry following her graduation from North Carolina State University in 1993.

With more than two decades of experience and deep knowledge of the community sales model, Julie is a key resource at St. James Properties, playing a pivotal role in daily operations, strategic marketing, and long-term community success.

Board Member

John spent the majority of his career as CEO of CNP Technologies, a Charlotte-based technology services business which he still owns, although he is no longer active in the business.  He started his career in banking in Texas before moving to Charlotte in 1987 where he worked at the predecessor banks of what is now Bank of America.  He worked in bank operations as well as a middle-market commercial lender and was also involved in performing due diligence on several bank mergers.  He currently serves as Chairman of First State Bank of the Ozarks, a community bank in rural southern Missouri that is owned by he and his family.  

John and his wife, Vicki, lived in Charlotte for 35 years raising their two children there. They began their migration to St. James in 2018 and became full-time residents in 2021.  They are active the St. James Sailing and Boat Club and are members of St. Phillips Episcopal Church.  

John is a 1985 graduate of Missouri State University, and he earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia (UGA) in 1997.  John is an active Alumnus of UGA and is currently an Emeritus Alumni Board Member of the Terry College after having served six years on the business school’s Alumni Board.

John has a keen interest in public education having come from a rural setting and understanding firsthand the importance of education as the key to opportunity, advancement and individual growth.