The Institute for Defense and Business Inducts Executive Fellows for 2011-2012

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) has just announced its 2011-2012 class of IDB Executive Fellows. This unique program gives recently retired senior leaders from the Department of Defense, The Department of Homeland Security, and the military services an opportunity to continue to contribute and serve. IDB selects Fellows based on outstanding service records and demonstrated ability as thought leaders to share their expertise and wisdom with future leaders. For the seventh consecutive year, SAS, the leader in business analytics software and services, sponsors the program.  

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"At a time when every part of government must work more efficiently, it's critical that military and government leaders and the private sector collaborate on new ideas," said Karen Knowles, President of SAS Federal. "SAS' involvement highlights the importance of analytics in supporting mission goals and maximizing resources." 

The IDB Board of Directors, chaired by former North Carolina Governor James G. Martin, hosted an installation dinner in Washington, DC, the evening of 21 September 2011 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  U.S. Congressman Howard Coble (R-NC), U.S. Congressman David Price (D-NC) and Ms. Karen Knowles, President of SAS Federal, provided opening remarks for the event which was attended by Members of Congress, senior representatives of the Department of Defense, the Military Services, the Department of State, other U.S. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector companies and academia.

Mr. Thomas W. Bradshaw Jr., Treasurer of the IDB Board of Directors and Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Raleigh, NC, delivered remarks and presided over the induction ceremony.  Other speakers included the following:

• President Thomas W. Ross, the University of North Carolina
• Mr. Mark C. Cramer, IDB President
• LTG Mitchell H. Stevenson, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics, G-4
• LtGen Gary S. McKissock, USMC (Ret.) Consultant and Board of Director Sapient Corporation and IDB Executive Fellow Emeritus (2005-2006)
• Maj.Gen. John F. Phillips, USAF (Ret.) Defense Consultants, LLC and former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics)
• VADM Walter B. (Wally) Massenburg, USN (Ret.) Senior Director, Mission Assurance Business Execution Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems and IDB Executive Fellow Emeritus (2009-2010)
• RADM Dale G. Gabel, USCG (Ret.) Consultant and IDB Executive Fellow Emeritus (2009-2010)

The 2011-2012 Executive Fellows inducted at the dinner were:  General Paul J. Kern, USA (Ret.) former Commanding General U.S. Army Materiel Command; General Richard I. Neal, USMC (Ret.) former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps; Lieutenant General Donald J. Wetekam, USAF (Ret.) former Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics, HQ USAF; Vice Admiral James M. Zortman, USN (Ret.) former Commander Naval Air Forces, San Diego; and Rear Admiral Erroll M. Brown, USCG (Ret.) former Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics, HQ U.S. Coast Guard.

Mark C. Cramer, the President of the IDB noted, "For the last six years – and now going into its seventh year -- this Executive Fellows Program has built a solid foundation of thought leadership that has benefited thousands of IDB program participants.  The Fellows interact on a small group basis with many participants who carry back to their organizations the valuable leadership lessons learned and apply them as they work to innovate and improve their organizations."

Since the beginning of the Fellows Program, these highly qualified and knowledgeable individuals have contributed significantly by serving as guest lecturers across the range of IDB educational offerings, representing the IDB at conferences, and working with faculty on key academic case studies and research. In addition, Fellows provide advice and guidance ensuring IDB programs remain current and vibrant in the ever-changing logistics, business, and geopolitical arenas.

For more than three decades, SAS has provided innovative solutions targeting the unique needs of the federal government. All 15 US federal departments and 80 national governments worldwide use SAS software's analytic and predictive capabilities for critical initiatives such as performance management, budgeting, logistics, cyberdefense, combating fraud and improper payments, and threat assessment.

ABOUT IDB

The Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) is a non-profit research and education institute formed in 1997 by UNC-Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina. The IDB offers a series of educational programs for the military, government, non-governmental agencies, and private sector, in the areas of logistics, life cycle management, organizational change, and stabilization and economic reconstruction.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions delivered within an integrated framework, SAS helps customers at more than 45,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know®

SOURCE Institute for Defense and Business