John Bell, a member of the SMCM Class of 1995, was elected to serve as chair of the College’s Board of Trustees at their last meeting on May 10, 2024. Bell becomes the first alumnus to serve in this role when he officially assumes office on June 1.
“It is a great privilege to help steer my beloved alma mater into the future, ensuring that it continues to inspire and empower future generations of Seahawks,” Bell said.” Rooted in The St. Mary’s Way, I embrace this responsibility with pride and dedication.”
Bell majored in public policy at SMCM. Prior to being appointed to the Board of Trustees in June 2017, he served as vice president of the SMCM Foundation.
As the Trustee chair, Bell said, “I look forward to working closely with my fellow trustees, and in partnership with the administration, faculty and staff to serve our students as they prepare for life beyond our exceptional college on the river.“
Bell is managing director and head of Senior Relationship Management within Wells Fargo’s Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB). He has more than 25 years of sales, relationship management, and leadership experience with institutional clients. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2021, he spent nearly 15 years at Bank of America where he was a member of the Asset Management Services leadership team responsible for client coverage and growth. He was also the executive responsible for Venture Services at Merrill, dedicated exclusively to serving the brokerage and custody needs of the global private equity and venture capital communities.
Alongside his distinguished career activities, Bell has long been dedicated to community engagement and creating an inclusive workplace. He has served as board chair for The Edgewood Center for Children and Families, the oldest children’s charity in the western U.S. He is also a founding sponsor of The GLBT History Museum in San Francisco, the first stand-alone LGBTQ+ history museum in the U.S. Bell has also helped create and lead numerous corporate inclusiveness initiatives at both Bank of America and Wells Fargo; he currently serves as the chair of the latter’s CIBOut initiative focused on cultivating a more welcome culture for LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies.
