Mrs. Spells aspires to ensure that Hampton University continues to uphold a legacy of quality leadership and priceless educational opportunities for its students.
NEWPORT NEWS, VA, December 06, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Doretha J. Spells has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Drawing on more than four decades of service on behalf of students, Mrs. Spells has earned distinction as the Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer at Hampton University, a historically Black research university in Virginia. In this capacity, she bears responsibility for maintaining a $200 million operating budget, the handling of approximately $400 million in endowment funds, and oversight for the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, the largest facility of its kind in the world. Functioning as the institution's chief financial officer, she has distinguished herself as the first woman to hold her position in the history of the university.
Mrs. Spells began her career as an accountant for a local housing authority in 1976 in Sumter, South Caronia. Following this period, she went on to serve at Hampton University throughout the vast majority of her professional journey, initially working as a loan officer in 1980, a staff accountant in administration in 1981 and advancing to become a payroll officer, a senior staff accountant, an associate comptroller and the assistant vice president of financial records. Following the conclusion of her penultimate role as the associate vice president for business affairs between 1995 and 2001, Mrs. Spells accepted her current position.
Outside of her primary endeavors, Mrs. Spells availed herself to her local community as a Sunday School teacher with the New Beech Grove Baptist Church in Newport News, Virginia, where she continues to serve as the chairperson of the Trustee Board. She has also sat on the boards of various organizations, including the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsula, the Hampton Jazz Festival, the Virginia Educators Credit Union, the Peninsula Pastoral Counseling Center Board and the Peninsula Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. On a professional level, she maintains her affiliation with such relevant groups as the National Association of College and University Business Officers, the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers (SACUBO) and the Eastern Association of College and University Officers. Mrs. Spells is also a member of the Denbigh Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Prior to embarking upon her career path, Mrs. Spells sought a formal education at South Carolina State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, cum laude, in 1976. Following this accomplishment, she went on to receive a Master of Business Administration at the Tennessee Technological University in 1980.
Noted for her myriad achievements in the field, Mrs. Spells has earned numerous accolades, including a featured profile among the "Leading Ladies" of Coastal Virginia Business Magazine in 2018 and recognition as the Baptist Union Teacher of the Year in both 2015 and 2005. She also received a Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities in 2014, and qualified as a finalist for the Virginia Business CFO Award in 2012. Mrs. Spells was also bestowed with the Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award in 2012, among many other awards to her credit.
In accounting for her success, Mrs. Spells attributes the influence of her parents, Doctor and Doretha Johnson, who instilled within her a deep dedication to the value of education. She has also benefited richly from the support of her husband of 44 years, Albert, and her two sons, Christopher and Bryan. Looking toward the future, Mrs. Spells aspires to ensure that Hampton University continues to uphold a legacy of quality leadership and priceless educational opportunities for its students.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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