Lt. Col. William White was yesterday named the new president of the Bermuda National Trust.

He retired as Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment in 2009, after 24 years' service.

Lt. Col. White completed his officer training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He also held full-time positions of Aide de Camp, and Adjutant and Training Officer while in the Bermuda Regiment.

Educated at Harrington Sound School, Warwick Academy and the Bermuda College, Lt. Col. White completed his BA in economics at Queen's University in Canada, in 1987.

He qualified as a chartered accountant in the UK in 1991. He has since been employed by firms now incorporated within PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and also at the Office of the Auditor General in Bermuda.

Lt. Col. White's interests include natural history, sailing and deep sea fishing.

He is married to Peta and has three daughters and a young son. His father Mervyn was a past president of the Bermuda Audubon Society. His mother Molly is a past president of the Garden Club of Bermuda and the Bermuda Rose Society. She has served as a council member of the Trust and co-chair of the Gardens and Nature Reserves Committee.

"Lt. Col. White has been supporting the Trust in a number of areas over recent months and we are thrilled with his energetic and professional style," said executive director Jennifer Gray. "Outgoing president, Bill Holmes, has left 'big shoes' to fill but we have no doubt that Lt. Col. White will meet the challenge and prove outstanding as a leader of our organisation."

At the first council meeting following the Trust's annual general meeting last week, the charity bid sincere thanks and farewell to retiring members Jim Smith and Lt. Col White's mother Molly. New appointees Glenn Jones and LaVerne Furbert were welcomed along with newly elected member Kevin Gunther.