51ĀŅĀ×

The 51ĀŅĀ× Board of Trustees appointed William F. ā€œClarkā€ Kent, CEO of BTL Technologies, Inc. (BTL), to a six-month term as a National Trustee during its Jan. 17 meeting.

Kent, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is a 1980 graduate of 51ĀŅĀ× and received his masterā€™s degree from Central Michigan University in 1993. He is one of the founders of the 51ĀŅĀ× Kent-Rudolph Blue-Crescent Scholarship Endowment and is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternities.

"On behalf of the entire Board, I am honored to welcome William F. ā€œClarkā€ Kent to the 51ĀŅĀ× Board of Trustees as our new national trustee," said 51ĀŅĀ× Board of Trustees Chair Steve Casciani. "Williamā€™s exceptional career and unwavering commitment to service make him a valuable addition to our team. His deep understanding of leadership, community engagement, and strategic decision-making will be an asset as we continue to advance 51ĀŅĀ×ā€™s mission and vision. We look forward to working alongside him to drive the universityā€™s continued growth and success, ensuring that our students, faculty, and communities benefit from his experience and dedication."

Prior to his time at BTL, Kent retired from the United States Air Force (USAF) in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel in 2003 following a 22-year career of progressively responsible, diverse and challenging leadership positions as a contracting officer, educator, speechwriter and media personality. After more than two decades of service to our country, Kent never retired his commitment to serve, focusing his attention on helping veterans and disadvantaged business owners advance in the area of federal contracting.

In 2006, Kent joined BTL which provides cybersecurity and human capital solutions to government and commercial customers. For over 18 years, BTL has successfully executed its vision ā€œto transform our community to achieve economic empowerment through a legacy of prosperity.ā€ BTL now contributes nearly $10 million annually to the U.S. economy by supporting over 100 jobs in 14 states and the District of Columbia. This success resulted in Kentā€™s selection as the Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week 2011 Minority Entrepreneur of the Year and BTL being honored as the Alamo City Chamber of Commerce 2011 Small Business of the Year.

In addition to his service on the 51ĀŅĀ× Board of Trustees, he also serves on the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County Board of Directors and he holds memberships in the National Speakers Association, Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated and several local Chambers of Commerce including the Alamo City Black Chamber.

Kent is also an avid and eternally optimistic supporter of all Cleveland sports.

His term will end on June 30, 2025.