Byron F. Marchant, Naval Academy Class of 1978, has been selected as the next President and CEO of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation. Prior to accepting this position, Mr. Marchant served as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel, & Chief Administrative Officer for Black Entertainment Television, Washington, DC.  He has also served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Annapolis-based Telecommunications Systems Inc., and Senior Legal Advisor to Federal Communications Commissioner Andrew Barrett.  Mr. Marchant graduated with merit from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978 earning a Bachelor of Science, American Political Systems; and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia Law School.  He was in the submarine service before transferring to the Naval Reserve in 1984 where he fulfilled numerous assignments in the Naval Reserve Intelligence program and attained the rank of Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserves.

Marchant is a life member of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association, a member of the New Jersey Bar, the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, the Federal Communications Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He serves on the board of directors of TeleCommunication Systems, Inc., The American Red Cross of the Washington Metropolitan area, Cable Positive, and the U. S. Naval Academy Foundation. He is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Sallie Mae Foundation and serves on the University of Virginia Board Of Managers and the UVA Campaign Executive Committee through 2011. Marchant is also an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia Law School. Marchant is serving his second term on the George Mason University Board of Visitors through 2011.
 
A native of Chicago, Byron Marchant is divorced and has a 13 year old daughter.