Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE:CHK) has appointed R. Brad Martin as non-executive chairman of the company’s board of directors, effective immediately, a news release said.

As part of the transition, Archie W. Dunham will remain a director and has been named chairman emeritus.

Martin, chairman of RBM Ventures and retired chairman and CEO of Saks Inc., was appointed to Chesapeake’s board of directors in June 2012, the release said. He also serves on the board of directors of FedEx Corp. and First Horizon National Corp. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Martin has also served as interim president of the University of Memphis.