Executive Assistant to the Board of Visitors Retires

It’s hard to imagine VCU’s Board of Visitors operating without its “go to” Executive Assistant Karen Balmer.

But Balmer will retire March 1, after a career of more than 25 years with VCU.

Balmer, a VCU alumna, joined the university as an employee in 1981. She worked about a year before leaving for a job with the Virginia Tech Extension Office in New Kent County. She returned to VCU in 1988 to take a position with the Board of Visitors and became the board’s assistant in 2003. She was promoted to executive assistant in 2011.

Balmer has remained a constant presence for the board and in the president’s office during an era of tremendous growth and change at VCU.

“I worked for three presidents and loved every minute,” Balmer said.

But with retirement, Balmer exchanges hours of participating in meetings, coordinating schedules and managing details with some more relaxed pursuits.

“I plan to spend a lot of time with my grandbabies and pursue all of the ‘when I have time’ activities I’ve put off for the last 30 years,” Balmer said.

 

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