ABINGDON, Virginia – A longtime real estate industry leader and an experienced financial advisor have joined the board of directors of the Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia.

According to a press release, the Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia exists to improve the health and well-being of the residents of Washington, Grayson, Russell and Smyth counties in Virginia by fostering purpose-driven partnerships.

Stephen D. Spangler is executive vice president of real estate, store planning and development for K-VA-T Food Stores Inc. (Food City).

In his role, Spangler oversees K-VA-T’s strategic real estate initiatives as well as the day-to-day management of the company’s diverse real estate holdings.

Spangler’s previous real estate experience includes serving as a development representative for The Beach Company in Charleston, South Carolina and as a development manager for Johnson & Associates in Bristol, Virginia.

“I am excited to be able to fulfill the Wellspring Foundation’s mission to foster transformative and positive change in the communities it serves,” said Spangler. “Being able to partner with this organization and enhance its unique ability to positively impact the larger region where we all live and work is meaningful, and I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity.”

Mike McCool, a native of southwest Virginia, is managing director of Cary Street Partners in Abingdon, Virginia.

As a financial advisor, Mike enjoys helping individuals and families achieve their financial goals, including retirement, education, and estate planning. He began his career in 2004 as an investment advisor representative at Highlands Union Bank in Abingdon.

“I am committed to our region. I grew up here, have my business here and love it here,” McCool said. “I believe in the Wellspring Foundation’s mission to improve the quality of life in Southwest Virginia and look forward to being a productive board member, carrying out the Foundation’s mission and learning as much as I can from the wealth of knowledge of our board and the organization.”

Marvin Gilliam, Chair of the Wellspring Foundation Board, expressed his enthusiasm for the new additions, saying, “We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Spangler and Mr. McCool to our Board. Mr. Spangler’s leadership in the real estate industry and Mr. McCool’s extensive knowledge of financial planning will enrich our Board’s ability to address the diverse community challenges we seek to address. We are confident that their contributions will greatly assist our efforts to create lasting, positive change.”

Sean McMurray, executive director of the Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia, added, “Their combined expertise will be of great benefit to us as we continue to advance our mission. I am confident their insights will provide us with important perspectives that will help us navigate the complexities of our work and maximize our impact. I look forward to working with them as we strive to foster positive change in our communities.”