Glade M. Knight: Southern Virginia University Founder
By Thomas McPoyle
Founder of Southern Virginia University and Chairman from 1996–2015, Glade M. Knight will be returning to our campus this Friday, April 14 to meet and gather with the Knight community he helped establish. For this week’s formal, students will be introduced to the man who formed the University we love and learn more about the history of Southern Virginia.
Glade Knight is a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served his Church calling as a missionary in England. Along with a group of other Virginian Latter-day Saints, he renewed our school in 1996 into what became known as Southern Virginia University later on in 2001, aligning with the principles and values of the Church. In 2003, Southern Virginia was granted full national institutional accreditation from the American Academy for Liberal Education, and nearly ten years later, Southern Virginia helped bring the first Young Single Adult Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints outside of Utah or Idaho to our campus here in Buena Vista.
In the business side of his life, Mr. Knight is heavily involved in several different corporate operations. He is currently the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Energy 11 GP, LLC and is also part owner and CEO of partnering company Energy Resources 12, L.P. with a focus on investment in the gas and oil industries. Additionally, Mr. Knight is also the Chairman and CEO of Apple Suites Realty Group, Inc., serving as founder of Apple REIT, Inc. until its merger with Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. in September of 2016, for whom he was also founder and served as Chairman and CEO since May 15, 2014. Mr. Knight expanded Apple REIT, Inc. and Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. with several different real estate investment trusts. He also served as a trustee of Colonial Properties Trust after being Chairman and CEO of merge partner Cornerstone Realty Income Trust, Inc. which owned and operated apartment communities in several southern states including Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas.
Mr. Knight holds heavy involvement in educational institutions as well, serving as a member of the Advisory Board to the Graduate School of Real Estate and Urban Land Development at Virginia Commonwealth University, a member of the National Advisory Council for Brigham Young University, was a founding member of the University’s Entrepreneurial Department of the Graduate School of Business Management, and, as we know, founding Chairman of our Southern Virginia University.
Get to know more about our University’s founder during forum at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 14!
