Villanova University Announces the Election of Two New Members to its Board of Trustees

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova University today announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Trustees. Thomas J. Holt Jr., president and chief executive officer of Astro Holdings, Inc., and Christina Larson Kelly, president of Larson Financial Planning, Inc., joined the 35-member Board effective Jan. 1.

“We have brought onto the Board two new outstanding members who are dedicated Villanovans and will serve as faithful stewards of our great University,” said the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, Villanova University President. “Both Tom and Christina are true reflections of the Villanova experience and will help to guide the University forward as we pursue our bold new strategic plan.”

Thomas J. Holt Jr. ’85 VSB is president and CEO of Astro Holdings, Inc., a port-related real estate holding company, and has been chairman, president and chief executive officer of numerous maritime transportation and logistics businesses. His career spans more than 30 years in the transportation services business, including US domestic and marine logistics, marine transport, stevedoring and marine terminal and distribution center logistics, as well as domestic trucking. Holt has served as president and chief executive officer of NPR, Inc., a large marine transport carrier that provides harbor and marine terminal management services. He serves on the CEO Council for Growth and is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. A member of the Union League since 2014, Holt was recently appointed to its Board of Directors. He has been an active member of the Villanova community, serving for nine years on the President’s Advisory Council, and is also a former trustee of Holy Ghost Preparatory School. Holt graduated from the Villanova School of Business (VSB) in 1985 with his BA in Finance and resides in Philadelphia.

Christina Larson Kelly ’74 FCN is president of Larson Financial Planning, Inc., a firm specializing in the financial planning and investment management needs of registered nurses. For more than 30 years, she has worked in nursing and hospital administrative positions in several Boston teaching hospitals, including Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Lahey Clinic Medical Center. She also served as chief executive officer of Armstrong Ambulance, a leader in patient-centric ambulance services and medical transportation in Massachusetts.

Larson Kelly transitioned her skills in taking care of patients and developing health care systems to taking care of nurses who work in them. She was a member of the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) Board of Consultors, serving most recently as its vice chair. In addition, Larson Kelly was a Medallion recipient, an award recognizing distinguished Villanova Nursing alumnae. She also was a member of the Provost’s Board, a select group of Villanovans who serve in a consultative role to the University Provost and academic leadership. Kelly graduated from the FCN in 1974, and she received her master’s degree in Nursing from Boston University and her Certified Financial Planner™ certification from Northeastern University. She is a longtime resident of the Boston area.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.