Command and General Staff College Foundation ‘off to a great start’

The board of trustees of the Command and General Staff College Foundation (CGSCF) in their first annual board meeting unanimously approved the addition of six new members. Noted entrepreneur Hyrum W. Smith, retired Army General Barry R. McCaffrey, former U.S. Ambassadors Edward Marks and David Lambertson, and prominent Kansas City businessmen, Robert P. Dunn and Robert S. Grant, will immediately assume duties as members of the Board of Trustees.

“These new members are significant and welcome additions to our team,” said Robert Arter, CGSCF board chairman, who is a retired Army lieutenant general, and current Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Kansas. “The Foundation is pleased to help support and raise public awareness about the Command and General Staff College’s mission to educate our military leaders. I know all the board members look forward to the challenges and rewards to come.”

Smith is most well known as a founder of the industry leading time management solutions company Franklin-Quest. He has authored several nationally published books and serves on several boards of directors and advisory councils. Gen. McCaffrey is a well-known leader who is President of his own consulting firm and serves as a national security and terrorism analyst for NBC News and other forums. Former Ambassador Lambertson served more than 30 years in the U.S. Foreign Service and was the Ambassador to Thailand in the mid-1990’s. Former Ambassador Marks served nearly 40 years in the Foreign Service, serving as the Ambassador to the republics of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. Both Lambertson and Marks are widely published on a number of topics in the national security and Foreign Service arenas. Dunn is the Vice President of Community Affairs for JE Dunn Construction in Kansas City, a family-owned business for more than 80 years with a reputation for giving back to the community. Grant also has a rich record of community service and currently serves as the vice president of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

“Bringing these new trustees on board is a great achievement for the Foundation” said Tom Holcom, who serves as president of the Board of Trustees, and is the president of the Kansas City-based Pioneer Financial Services, Inc. “Since we opened our office on 13 February we’ve managed to attract $250,000 in cash and pledges and have contributed more than $7,000 to the College for student awards and faculty development. In just four short months we’re off to a great start on our quest to serve and support the needs of the College.”

Since 1881, the Command and General Staff College has produced some of the nation’s foremost leaders including generals such as Eisenhower, Marshall and Powell. Additionally, more than 7,000 international officers have attended the College including the current President of Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country. As the U.S. Army’s lead agent for leader development, the College is renowned in the academic study of leadership and the profession of arms. The CGSC Foundation was established December 28, 2005 as a tax-exempt, non-profit private corporation to assist the College by donating funds necessary to provide the “margin of excellence” to the education and outreach programs of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Programs supported by the Foundation include financial support for symposia, conferences, lectures, and community outreach activities that help connect the American public to their Army. For more information about the Foundation and how to become involved, visit www.cgscf.org.