Gov. Bob Riley has appointed University of South Alabama Mitchell College of Business alumnus Thomas Corcoran, of Loxley, to the USA Board of Trustees.

Corcoran succeeds longtime trustee and retired Fairhope Mayor Jim Nix, who has served on the University’s board for more than two decades and recently completed his second term representing the 21st District of Baldwin and Escambia counties.

“Tom Corcoran graduated from the University of South Alabama and became a highly successful businessman,” said USA President Gordon Moulton.   “He has remained very close to the University through his alumni involvement and philanthropic support, which makes him a perfect choice for the USA Board of Trustees.

“USA is excited about the appointment of Tom Corcoran, and at the same time highly appreciative of the more than 20 years of dedicated service to the board and the University provided by Jim Nix.”

A current member of the USA National Alumni Association Board of Directors, Corcoran holds distinction as the 2008 recipient of the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award.  A dedicated USA supporter and philanthropist, he is also a former member of the Leadership Team for Campaign USA, the University’s first comprehensive fund-raising campaign.

“I am very honored to be appointed to the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees,” Corcoran said.  “The growth and impact of the University have been phenomenal, particularly the last 10 years under Gordon Moulton's leadership. USA's future looks very bright, and I look forward to my service on the board.”

Corcoran is retired from Fort Dodge Animal Health, where he served as president for more than 20 years.  Fort Dodge Animal Health is one of three divisions of Wyeth pharmaceuticals and health care.  Under Corcoran’s leadership, the company grew from a $28 million U.S.-based business to a $1 billion global veterinary medicine business.  It is the fourth-largest manufacturer and distributor of prescription and over-the-counter animal health care products.

At Wyeth, Corcoran served on the corporate management, operations, human resources and benefits committees.  For his innovation and leadership, Corcoran received the prestigious Animal Pharm Lifetime Achievement Award and the Banfield Industry Leadership Award in 2007.  In 2008, he received the Industry Leadership Award from the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, sponsored by the Kansas City Economic Development Corporation.  He is also the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Veterinary Distributors Association.

Corcoran serves on the board of directors of Animal Health International Inc. (Nasdaq:AHII) and Phibro (London Stock Exchange).  Additionally, he is past chairman of the Animal Health Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association of the animal health industry, and served on the board of directors for the Kansas City Life Sciences Council. 

He and his wife, Dr. Barbara Blumer-Corcoran, have endowed numerous scholarships at USA, including awards in athletics, business, continuing education, and medicine.

Corcoran earned his bachelor of science degree in marketing from USA in 1970, and later completed the Executive Management Program at Columbia University.  

Nix has served on the USA Board of Trustees for 21 years.  He was first appointed to the board in 1989 by Gov. Guy Hunt, and then later reappointed to a second term in 1997 by Gov. Fob James.

USA’s board has 17 members, including the governor and the state superintendent of education serving as ex-officio members. The appointment will now go before the state Senate for confirmation. A regular term on the USA board is 12 years.