David Agnew, Jude Kearney and John Nees Join Winrock Board of Directors
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (February 25, 2015) — Winrock International is pleased to announce the elections of David Agnew, Jude Kearney and John Nees to its board of directors — with each accepting five-year appointments.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome these three leaders to Winrock’s board of directors,” said Board Chair Betsy Campbell. “Mr. Agnew, Mr. Kearney and Mr. Nees are each highly respected among their colleagues and within their professional communities.”
Winrock President and CEO Rodney Ferguson added: “This addition makes a strong board of directors even stronger. We are eager to utilize the experience and perspectives they bring, and excited about the impact they will have on Winrock International and the global work that we do.”
Agnew is managing director for government affairs with Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets (MIRA) — the alternative asset management division of the Macquarie Group. MIRA is the world’s largest investor in and manager of infrastructure assets. Prior to joining Macquarie, Agnew served in the White House as deputy assistant to President Barack Obama and director of intergovernmental affairs. In this role, he oversaw the Obama administration’s relationship with state, city, county and tribal elected officials across the country. He previously served as deputy director of the office and was the president’s liaison to America’s mayors and county officials. Agnew was also co-chair of the White House State, Local and Tribal Officials Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.
Kearney is a shareholder at the Greenberg Traurig law firm and serves as chair of the firm’s Africa Practice. His practice is focused on corporate transactions, with an emphasis on international project finance, and he is experienced in international markets — including Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia. Kearney works with major U.S. and foreign clients in the areas of energy, telecommunications, infrastructure projects and financial services. Additionally, he has participated in various trade and bilateral negotiations, including in regards to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and market access negotiations with Japan and China.
Nees is a founding partner of the Getty Land Company and manages a privately held energy company with operations in the Gulf Coast and Appalachian regions. He has a broad background that includes finance, agriculture, infrastructure and energy. Nees has conducted business throughout the world, including Russia, Venezuela, India and Indonesia, where he managed complex energy projects, as well as eastern and southern Africa where he participated in one of the premier eco-tourism companies. Nees has worked as manager of economics and strategic planning for SOHIO and as vice president of marketing and general counsel of Petrolphysics, where he initiated projects sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy — projects aimed at environmental remediation and enhanced resource recovery.
Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. Winrock is headquartered in Little Rock, Ark., and has a capital office in Arlington, Va., with project offices worldwide.