On Thursday, January 27, 2022, the Institute for Defense & Business virtually held an induction ceremony for its Class of 2022 Executive Fellows. Inductees are GEN Stephen R. Lyons, USA (Ret), LtGen John J. Broadmeadow, USMC (Ret), LtGen Andrew E. Busch, USAF (Ret), RADM Joseph L. Nimmich, USCG (Ret), James H. Smerchansky, SES USN (Ret), and John M. Holmes, President & CEO of AAR.
Established in 2005, the IDB Executive Fellows Program provides selected retired flag and general officers and senior executive leaders from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) an opportunity to continue to apply their knowledge and experience. Subsequently, the IDB added an Executive Fellow from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security including the U.S. Coast Guard. The 2022 class features the first Executive Fellow from the private sector.
Fellows and attendees were welcomed to the ceremony by IDB President, LtGen Mark Faulkner, USMC (Ret). As a former Fellow, Faulkner shared he considers it “an honor to be associated with this impressive group of the Nation’s leaders.”
Following Faulkner’s opening remarks, two of the institute’s longest tenured supporters and partners, Congressman David Price (NC-04) and IDB Board of Directors Chairman, Tom Bradshaw provided insight into the educational institution. Price highlighted the work of IDB and called the institute “the role model for strategic public-private partnerships and collaboration.” Bradshaw provided a brief history lesson of IDB’s role in executive education and supporting the military throughout the years.
Each Fellow was introduced via a person of their choosing, each of them a distinguished leader in their own right. Introducers shared personal anecdotes, career achievements, and more while emphasizing the Fellows tremendous impact during their service to our Nation.
During their tenure, IDB Executive Fellows participate in and present at IDB educational programs, attend and speak at conferences, provide their insight on emerging issues and trends within a range of military and educational issues and may also provide written content.
Bio briefs for The IDB’s Class of 2022 Executive Fellows are as follows:
- GEN Stephen R. Lyons, USA (Ret) – Retired in 2021 after 38 years of service culminating as the 13th commander of US Transportation Command (TRANSCOM). His extensive career included six Joint assignments and over 40 months deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan including major combat operations in the 3rd ID. His Hall of Fame inductions include the Naval Postgraduate School and Army Materiel Command.
- LtGen John J. Broadmeadow, USMC (Ret) – Retired from the United States Marine Corps in October 2020, with over 37 years of progressive leadership in a variety of positions. His final assignment was as the Director of the Marine Corps Staff in the Pentagon. A career logistician, Broadmeadow has extensive experience in expeditionary logistics and supply chain management. Since retiring, he has leveraged his vast knowledge in several consulting positions for private industry, nonprofit organizations and the United States military.
- Lt Gen Andrew E. Busch, USAF (Ret) – A tested senior leader with extensive experience in supply chain management and aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). Before retiring, he served as the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency leading nine supply chains supporting the United States military, as well as federal, state, local and international partners. Currently, he is an independent consultant and serves the USAF as an Adjunct Contract Professor.
- RADM Joseph L. Nimmich, USCG (Ret) – Completed a 33-year career in the USCG, five years in private sector and nearly four years in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the Deputy Administrator. Upon retirement from the Coast Guard, he was requested, by name, to join The University of Pennsylvania Applied Research Lab to serve as the Senior Maritime Domain Awareness Advisor to the Knowledge Management Director in the Chief of Naval Staff (N2N6). Nationally recognized for his expertise in emergency management and in the maritime arena, he is currently a partner at Potomac Ridge Consulting.
- James H. Smerchansky, SES USN (Ret) – Completed over 35 years of dedicated service as a Department of the Navy civilian. He retired in December 2020 as the Executive Director of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) which designs, builds, and maintains the United States Navy’s ships, submarines and warfighting systems. Smerchansky is the Executive Vice President for Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT), providing disruptive innovation to enhance the capability of the United States military.
- John M. Holmes, President & CEO of AAR, a leading aviation services provider to commercial airlines and government customers worldwide. He also serves on AAR’s Board of Directors. Holmes joined the company in 2001 as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions and has driven innovation in the businesses of aviation services achieving double digit growth. In 2017, he was appointed COO and became CEO in 2018 (AAR’s third CEO since 1955).
About the Institute for Defense and Business:
The Institute for Defense & Business (IDB) is a non-profit education and research organization. The IDB provides custom executive education programs for all career levels from the military and government, private sector, non-governmental, and international organizations. The IDB features curriculum and customized solutions in logistics and technology, life cycle systems, leadership and organizational transformation, and strategic studies to meet current requirements and mission objectives
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