Larry R. Ellis, General (Retired),
US Army
Larry Ellis is the Chief Executive Officer of ESSE an Atlanta based consulting company. He formerly served as President and CEO of Point Blank Solutions, a publicly traded company.
Currently, Larry Ellis is the Vice Chair of the Board of Regents for Morgan State University; he serves on the Advisory Board for Indiana University’s School of Public Health. He is a director on several not-for-profit organizations: the Shepherd Center specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries; he is Chair, of High Impact Network of Responsible Innovators (HINRI) focused on bringing servant leadership, compassion and innovation to solving the world’s most difficult health challenges; he is a director on the America Korea Friendship Society (AKFS), a community organization that seeks to foster and strengthen the relationship between the peoples of the United States and the Republic of Korea; he is an advisor to the Korean Defense Veterans Association (KDVA), an organization that seeks to enhance the Republic of Korea-United States Alliance by advocating for the Alliance and he was formerly a Director on the Armed Forces Benefit Association, an organization that aids those who served in the military and those who served as civilian first responders.
Larry Ellis formerly served as a Presidential appointee on the American Battle Monuments Commission and the National Commission on the Future of the Army. He served as a member of the US Congressionally authorized Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Advisory Committee and he was formerly a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia.
General Ellis’ military career included leadership positions around the globe. He commanded units in the US European Command in Germany, and he commanded the First Armored Division while deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He led units in the United Nations Command in South Korea; the US Pacific Command in Hawaii; and the US Forces Command in the United States. Additionally, he served in senior staff positions at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, where he oversaw multi-year programs and budgets in support of national strategic aims. In 2001, soon after the United States went to war in the Middle East, General Ellis was promoted to the rank of General and served as Commander of the US Army Forces Command -- the Army's largest command.
General Ellis’ military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and senior parachutist wings.
His honors include an Honorary Doctor of Laws, Honorary Master of Strategic Studies, the Indiana University Distinguished Alumni Service Award, the Morgan State University Distinguished Alumni Award, the Army War College Outstanding Alumnus Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the NAACP National Service Award, the NAACP Frederick Douglass Medal, the ROCK of the Year Award, the United Services Organization (USO) Patriot Award and several other community and service recognitions. General Ellis earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Morgan State University and a Master of Science in Public Health from Indiana University.