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For Immediate Release 

MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAMES NEW CHAIR, WELCOMES NEW TRUSTEES 
June McAllister Fowler will serve as Board chair; Ward Klein and Tina Hrevus will serve as Board vice-chairs; Robert Wagner and Kitty McDonnell Pipoli join the Board 

(ST. LOUIS) The Missouri Botanical Garden’s Board of Trustees voted to appoint June McAllister Fowler, retired Senior Vice President for BJC HealthCare, as its new chair on Dec. 11. Ward M. Klein, former Executive Chairman of Edgewell Personal Care Company, and Tina Hrevus, Principal, Managing Partner’s Office at Edward Jones, will serve as vice chairs. 

“June Fowler is a deeply respected leader with an extraordinary commitment to our community and a passion for the Garden’s mission. We are thrilled to welcome June as the next president of the Board of Trustees, and I am looking forward to the wisdom, energy, and vision she will bring to this role,” said Garden President and Director Dr. Lúcia Lohmann. 

Fowler joined the Garden’s Board of Trustees in 2023. She retired in 2022 as Senior Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs for BJC HealthCare, where her 18-year career included executive leadership of brand marketing, government relations, community health, employee wellness, and community benefit. Prior to joining BJC, she served as the Senior Director of Communications and Community Affairs at Mallinckrodt. Throughout her career, Fowler has been highly engaged in the St. Louis community. She currently serves as board chair for Cortex Innovation Community and KIPP St. Louis and is board secretary for The Muny; additionally, she serves on the St. Louis Airport Commission. 

“I am honored to take on the role of chair of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Board of Trustees. The Garden is such an important St. Louis institution, and I look forward to doing my part to usher the Garden into the future, in partnership with Dr. Lùcia Lohmann,” Fowler said. 

McAllister Fowler succeeds Dr. Michael K. Stern, who has served on the Board of Trustees since 2013, including his recent four-year tenure as chair. 

“Mike Stern has done a remarkable job during his term as the chair of the Board of Trustees over the past four years. He has guided the Garden with dedication, thoughtful stewardship, and a true commitment to our mission. His commitment has strengthened our institution and led to exceptional growth, expanding our impact in ways that will be felt for many years to come,” Lohmann said. 

Stern will continue to serve as a Trustee. 

“It has been my privilege to lead the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Board of Trustees for the past four years. I am proud of what we have accomplished in that time, culminating with the hiring of Dr. Lùcia Lohmann to lead the Garden into the future. I look forward to continuing to serve on the Board under June’s capable leadership,” Stern said. 

The Board also elected two new trustees, Robert Wagner, Chief Risk Officer at Bunge, and Kitty McDonnell Pipoli, community volunteer. 

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The Missouri Botanical Garden’s mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.” Today, 166 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science, conservation, education, and horticultural display.