LEXINGTON, Va. April 17, 2025 — The Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors elected Thomas E. “Teddy” Gottwald ’83 as board president April 16 to fulfill the remaining term of previous president John Adams ’96, who resigned last week. Gottwald will serve as president until June 30.

Gottwald stated he is humbled to be elected president.

“The BOV is comprised of a highly qualified and passionate team of volunteers who put the interests of VMI and the commonwealth first. May is a special month at VMI, and I look forward to congratulating the graduates of the Class of ’25 and seeing the other classes step up into greater leadership roles. While the academic year is coming to an end, the BOV has important work that will continue through the summer. With the strategic plan implementation in progress and the search for a new superintendent, we will move forward developing priorities and focus areas for the coming academic year. I am honored to work with my fellow board members and the administration to continue to serve this institution and its cadets,” he said. The annual election of officers will be held as scheduled May 3, and Gottwald will not stand for reelection as president at that time.

Gottwald is the chairman and CEO of NewMarket Corporation. He joined the company in 1984 and held numerous positions in the company’s petroleum additives and former plastics businesses. He represents the third generation of his family to lead NewMarket. First appointed to the VMI BOV by Gov. Ralph Northam, he was also appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2022. A native of Richmond, Gottwald received a degree in chemistry from VMI and a master’s degree in business administration from the Harvard School of Business. He served in the 1980s in the U.S. Army Reserve. Active in the community, he has served on several nonprofit boards, focusing his time on children’s education and health, and science. He previously served as a member of the board of governors of the VMI Keydet Club and currently serves on the boards of VMI Jackson-Hope Board of Overseers. Two of his sons graduated from VMI in the classes of 2009 and 2014.

-VMI-