MEDIA

Byron MARCHANT ’78 DEPARTING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND FOUNDATION AFTER 13-YEAR TENURE

Contact: Wes Huey, Executive Director, Strategic Communications
USNA Alumni Association and Foundation
410-295-4023

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Byron Marchant ’78 will depart the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation in Spring 2022 after 13 years as President and CEO.

His time as CEO is highlighted by his steady, strategic leadership for the organization through the 2009 recession and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Marchant oversaw the most successful campaign in Alumni Association and Foundation history, and this fall officially marked the beginning of the construction process for a new Alumni and Foundation Center.

The Called to Serve, Daring to Lead campaign, which concluded in June 2021, raised more than $541 million in support of the Naval Academy’s Strategic Plan 2020, a plan developed with the steadfast support of Naval Academy leadership and Navy and Marine Corps service leaders. Marchant’s leadership helped propel the campaign well past its original $400 million goal. A future Shipmate article will detail the milestones of his tenure with the Alumni Association and Foundation. Find at this link the Campaign Report detailing the impact of the Campaign on the Naval Academy and alumni community. 

“I am honored to have served alongside our superb volunteer leaders in our Alumni Association, Foundation, and Athletic and Scholarship Programs to support our alumni, parents and donor community for 13 years as of 2022,” Marchant said. “Our collective team success in the recent Campaign resulted in over $541 million raised and support from over 39,000 donors around the world.  I am deeply proud of the Enterprise leadership and staff capability we have developed in support of our Alumni and Foundation missions and the fulfillment of our Strategic Plan 2020 goals.  I am also profoundly grateful for the tremendous efforts to break ground on the Alumni Center headquarters project – I welcome you to monitor status of construction via our webcam here.”

Naval Academy Alumni Association Chairman of the Board of Trustees Admiral Mark Ferguson ’78, USN (Ret.) and Ron Terwilliger ‘63, Naval Academy Foundation Chairman, have formed a Joint Search Committee, which they will co-chair, to select Marchant’s successor.  Heidrick and Struggles has been retained as the search firm to assist in this effort.  If you are interested in applying, please direct inquiries to USNACEO@heidrick.com.

The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association is a non-profit, independent corporation with more than 66,000 members, more than 80 active alumni classes and more than 100 chapters around the world. For more information, visit www.usna.com.