Rice University has appointed three distinguished alumni to its board of trustees: technology entrepreneur A. Lanham Napier ’93, media and software innovator William “Bill” V. Neville III ’84 and energy and sustainability leader Charlos C. Ward ’98. Each brings deep expertise, a commitment to innovation and a strong track record of service to the university and society at large.
“On behalf of the Rice community and the board of trustees, I am pleased to announce our newest trustees, all proud alumni,” said Robert T. Ladd, chairman of the board of trustees. “Lanham, Bill and Charlos have distinguished themselves in their careers and in supporting their communities. There is much to accomplish in the years ahead at Rice, and our new trustees will play an important role.”
“We are honored to welcome Lanham, Bill and Charlos to the Rice University Board of Trustees,” President Reginald DesRoches said. “Each of them embodies the values that define Rice — innovation, impact and a deep commitment to service. Their leadership across technology, media and sustainability, combined with their enduring ties to Rice, will be instrumental as we continue to advance our mission and expand our reach in Houston and around the world.”
Napier is a tech entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of BuildGroup, a venture capital firm supporting emerging software companies with permanent capital and hands-on partnership. Napier previously served as CEO of Rackspace Hosting, helping grow the company from startup to global leader in cloud computing.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Rice and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University. A former resident of Wiess College, he is married to fellow Rice alumna Dr. Dacia Napier ’93. The couple co-founded Project 23 and Moyo Goods, supporting health and education initiatives in Africa. They have two adult children, Cade and Avery. Lanham Napier is the son of the late H. Albert Napier Jr., a longtime professor at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business.
Neville is the founder and managing member of US Viking LLC, a software firm based in the U.S. Virgin Islands that developed the Electronic News Production System platform used by more than 900 newsrooms worldwide and marketed by The Associated Press. He also led Broadband VI, a leading internet provider in the U.S. Virgin Islands that was acquired by Liberty in 2021.
Neville earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematical sciences and mathematics from Rice and an MBA from Columbia University. A former member of Rice’s Reunion Giving Committee, he has also served on the board of the Good Hope Country Day School in the Virgin Islands. He and his wife, Connie Jones Neville, were high school sweethearts and have two adult children.
Ward is a product developer at Replenishment, where she leads efforts in agricultural technology to advance health and sustainability. She previously spent more than 25 years at BP, including as strategic partnership manager for the Americas.
Ward holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering, a Bachelor of Arts in economics and an MBA from Rice. She actively supports the university through service on the School of Engineering and Computing advisory board and the REINVENTS external advisory committee and with multiple alumni and student engagement programs. She is a former board member of the Houston Area Urban League and the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska. Ward is married to Lee Riley, managing partner of a consulting firm, and they have two sons, including Rice alum Julian H. Riley ’25.