News Release: A New President for West Point’s Alumni Association

For Immediate Release:

WEST POINT, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2006 — The Board of Directors of the Association of Graduates has selected Robert McClure, the United States Military Academy Class of 1976, to become the organization's president and chief executive officer.

He will succeed Seth Hudgins, USMA Class of 1964, who served 17 years in the position and oversaw the Development Office's planning and execution of the Association's Bicentennial Campaign which raised more than $200 million. The money from that campaign, in large measure, went to meet the Academy's "Margin of Excellence" needs.

Lt. Gen. Theodore Stroup, Association board chairman, said, "On a number of occasions, I have stated that the theme of 'Continuity , Change, and Growth' will guide the affairs of the association as it moves forward. I am confident that this will continue to be the case now that the board will be working with a new president and CEO to achieve the AOG's strategic goals."

McClure will be leaving his present position as a senior defense analyst with Booz Allen Hamilton in suburban Washington. After retiring from the Army in 2004 as chief of the Army's War Plans Division, he became New York regional director of Business Executives for National Security.

While at the Academy, he commanded the First Regiment in his senior year and played Corps Squad football. McClure was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers and commanded at the company, battalion and brigade level. He also served as an aide to the commander in chief, U.S. Army Europe and had a three-year tour as a professor in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point. During his Army career, he studied in Germany as an Olmsted Scholar and had fellowships at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Council of Foreign Relations.

McClure retired as a colonel.

Richard Graf, USMA Class of 1971, headed the search committee. Michael Franzino, also Class of 1971 and a partner in the executive recruiting firm of Heidrick and Struggles, donated his services as a consultant to the committee.

POC: COL (R) John Calabro, Vice President for Alumni Support, Association of Graduates. 845-4461610; John.Calabro@USMA.edu