UF appoints two board members

FINDLAY — The University of Findlay's (UF) Board of Trustees has appointed two new members: environmental management executive Vincent Passaro and engineering firm president Conlan Swope. Graduating in 1981 from Findlay College with a bachelor of science in biology, Passaro is the vice president of marketing/business development at Groundwater & Environmental Services, Inc., a New Jersey-based environmental consulting and engineering company. During his career, he has built one of the fastest growing privately held companies on the Inc. 500 list - turning a company of five employees into that of 100. For nine years, Passaro managed the City of Cincinnati's environmental term contract, assisting the city with economic development projects along its riverfront. Other accomplishments include the winning proposals for three large water treatment plant design-build projects ranging from $20 to $160 million in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Since 1988, he has also served at the National Institute of Standards & Technology as a technical expert. Passara, along with his wife, Victoria Nager-Passaro, have donated to the Findlay Fund and the Findlay Forward Scholarship. In 2024, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award. "As a proud alumnus, I am enthusiastic to support UF in any capacity where my 40+ years of business/strategic planning experience can be used to continue the success it has experienced, and more importantly achieve its current and future mission," Passaro said in a release from UF. "This is just one way for me to give back to the University that provided me with opportunities of a lifetime." Swope is president of Warfel Construction in East Petersburg, Penn. He has been promoted through various roles of increasing responsibility and is dedicated to the firm's mission of "Clients for Life." Warfel Construction is a full-service construction management company that serves industries throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Swope holds a bachelor's in civil engineering from Penn State University and is a LEED (Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design) accredited professional. "I am thrilled to join the UF community as a trustee and uphold our strong legacy as we continue to provide more engaging experiences for the student body, preparing them for the next stages of their lives," Swope said in the release. "It is a blessing to serve alongside so many fantastic trustees and faculty members. The future is bright!" A member of New Providence Church of God, he also serves on the Crossroads Mission Haiti board of directors, having traveled to Haiti to assist in building a school, church, and orphanage. "These new board members are leaders in their industries who will offer valuable governance from their professional experiences," UF President Katherine Fell, Ph.D., said in the release. "We look forward to working alongside them to support our students and advance the University."