John Adams, president of the Virginia Military Institute board of visitors, resigned last Thursday afternoon, citing personal reasons, according to an internal announcement shared with VMI faculty and staff on Friday.
Adams, a 1996 graduate of VMI, had served on the board since July 2022 and was elected its president in July 2024. His resignation comes just weeks after the board voted not to renew the contract of Superintendent Ret. Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins, a controversial decision that sparked public outcry and scrutiny of the board.
Wins, the first Black superintendent in the school’s history, had led the institute through several reforms following an investigation into systemic racism and sexism at VMI. Adams, a Youngkin appointee, had presided over the April vote ending Wins’ tenure.
A special meeting of the board is scheduled for today, Wednesday, April 16 at 2 p.m. to elect a new president to serve the remainder of Adams’ term and to finalize the agenda for the board’s upcoming regular meeting in early May. The meeting will be held virtually and streamed live on the board’s website.
In a separate appointment, Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently named José J. Suárez, a 1982 VMI graduate who resides in Florida, to the board. Suárez fills the seat vacated by former board member Tom Watjen, who resigned just days after the vote on Wins’ contract.
No replacement for Adams has been announced.
