Alumni News

Iustitia, the Polish Judges’ Association, elected the Hon. John M. “Johnny Mac” Marshall ’65 as an honorary member in September 2021. Iustitia has more than 3,000 members and is similar to the Judicial Section and Texas Center for the Judiciary in Texas.

Also, in 2021, the AI & Society: Knowledge, Culture and Communication journal published an article Marshall wrote titled “Technoevidence: The ‘Turing Limit.’” The article discusses technology’s impact on basic courtroom evidentiary issues.

Marshall has served as a judge in several Texas districts and courts, including the Municipal Court of Muenster, the 14th Judicial District, the Dallas County Emergency Medical-Legal Project, and the Sabine Valley Child Protection Court. He is a senior life fellow of the College of State Bar of Texas. He was the honorary professor of the university at the Marie Curie-Sklodowska University in 2004 and has taught a course on American legal studies at the university since 1993. Marshall is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics (elected 1999), a senior life fellow of the College of State Bar of Texas, and the North Texas Mensa president.

Marshall matriculated from Dallas, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree in history from Vanderbilt University, a Juris Doctor degree from Southern Methodist University, and a Doctor of Laws degree from Academia Mexicana de Derecho Internacional.

George L. Newton III ’66 was nominated for the USA Unified Martial Arts Hall of Fame. The hall of fame recognizes people who have made outstanding contributions in martial arts fields in the U.S.

Newton began judo in 1951 when he was 6 years old and won many junior and senior judo tournaments as a youth. He was featured in Sports Illustrated and was a member of the U.S. Air Force Judo Exhibition team. At VMI, Newton formed and coached the VMI college judo club, which won numerous competitions during his cadetship. After graduation, Newton entered the U.S. Air Force and won many judo titles while in the Air Force. He was selected for the U.S. Military National Judo Team for the USA Amateur Athletic Union Championships and won the 1976 Far East Judo Light Heavy Weight and Overall Grand Championship. Newton has also coached the sport. He is a life member and board member of the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation and the USA Traditional Kodokan Judo, a life member of the Panamerican Jiu-Jitsu Federation, member of the USJJF and USA-TKJ National Technical Promotion Committee, member of the USA Ju-Jitsu Senior Masters Caucus, and an international ambassador representative for USJJF and USA-TKJ.

Newton matriculated from Bedford, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned two Master of Science degrees—one from Auburn University and one from the University of North Dakota.

The U.S. Naval War College named Thomas C. Linn ’73 a distinguished fleet professor in August 2021. Rear Adm. Shoshana S. Chatfield, NWC president, presented the award to Linn Aug. 2, 2021, in a virtual faculty cloister. There are more than 60 professors in the college’s fleet seminar program, and the award is presented annually to one of them.

Linn has been a professor at NWC for 25 years, teaching theater security decision-making with a primary focus on the Indo-Pacific theater. His course has had an increasing emphasis on emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, China, and space security. Linn also taught in the Pentagon for almost 20 years and in the Center for Naval Analysis. His students include personnel from all military services, the White House, the office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of State, and U.S. Congress staff.

Linn matriculated from Dallas, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He also earned a Master of Arts degree in national security studies from Georgetown University and graduated with distinction from the Naval War College. He is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant colonel with service in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Iraq.

Linn and his wife, Jannie “Buckaroo,” live in Lexington, Virginia, where he continues to teach in support of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in its work on the Internet of Things, as well as at the Naval War College and the U.S. Army War College.

On Oct. 7, 2021, G.M. Defense LLC, a subsidiary of General Motors, announced retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John D. “J.D.” Johnson ’77 as vice president of business development. He is responsible for identifying growth opportunities with government and military customers that align with G.M. Defense’s core capabilities. The capabilities include power and propulsion, integrated vehicles, and autonomy and mobility. Johnson will also develop strategic plans to win competitive pursuits in government and defense markets nationally and internationally.

Johnson was in the U.S. Army for 35-plus years. He held many senior positions, including Eighth Army commander in the Republic of Korea and Department of Defense Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization director. After retiring from the Army, Johnson held leadership positions at Raytheon. Most recently, he was the customer engagement and solutions acting vice president. His other positions at Raytheon include vice president of both U.S. Government Integrated Solutions for Raytheon Intelligence & Space and of Business Development for U.S. Army and Special Operations.

G.M. Defense delivers mobility and autonomy, power and propulsion, and integrated vehicles to defense, government, and security markets worldwide.

Johnson matriculated from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the School of Advanced Military Studies, a Master of Arts degree from the U.S. Command and General Staff College, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

John M. “Mac” Curtis ’79 joined Blue Delta Capital Fellows as a venture fellow in October 2021. In his new position, Curtis will help explore new investment opportunities, help portfolio companies scale up through organic growth and tuck-in acquisitions, and assimilate talent.

Curtis is the former chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer of Perspecta, which operates now as part of Peraton as a public government services technology contractor. He is also a seven-time Wash100 winner. During his time at Perspecta, he transformed it into a $7.1 billion company, which Veritas Capital acquired in May 2021. Curtis helped establish Perspecta after merging his company, Vencore, with DXC Technology’s public sector business and KeyPoint Government Solutions.

Curtis matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia,

and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

Several VMI alumni are involved with the medical center addition and alterations project at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The project began in 2016 and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

VMI alumni working with the MCAA project are Billy Jaeger ’07, Navy Facilities Engineering Command Bethesda design team lead; Mike Werner ’06, NAVFAC Bethesda hospital construction management specialist; U.S. Navy Capt. Greg Vinci ’93, regional engineer and NAVFAC Washington commander; U.S. Army Col. Anthony Meador ’95, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center chief of staff; Beau Cook ’83, NAVFAC Bethesda engineering technician lead; Tom Pierpoint ’15, Clark Construction superintendent; and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jimmy Angerman ’06, NAVFAC Bethesda public works officer.

The project is multi-phased and will replace or renovate outdated portions of WRNMMC. It involves significant renovations and demolitions, as well as building temporary space to house departments during transitions between old and new facilities. The medical center will continue to provide quality, safe care and will remain fully functional during the MCAA project.

The project will add hundreds of thousands of upgraded square feet to the medical center. The additional space will improve medical center operations and patient care and experience. Improvements will include providing natural light for patients, staff, and visitors; singlepatient rooms and family zones; infrastructure to support information technology platforms; flexible, modular clinic space; and clear signage and visual cues to help patients, staff, and visitors navigate the facility. The project will also bring a basementlevel, north-to-south pedestrian connector to continue safe operations and facilitate personnel movement during the project. Over the course of the project, more than 100 departments and clinics will transition and relocate to different spaces.

Victor J. Bernet ’85, M.D., completed service as the American Thyroid Association president for the 2020-21 governance year. The ATA consists of 1,700-plus physician and scientist members from 43 countries dedicated to improving care for patients with thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. Bernet was recently promoted to professor of medicine for the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. Since 2012, he has served as the chair of the Division of Endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. The U.S. News & World Report ranked the Jacksonville Mayo Clinic in the top 30 nationally for endocrine and diabetes care. Bernet matriculated from Richmond, Virginia. He was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Virginia. He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, with his wife, Alicia.

Work-Relay announced the promotion of Kramer W. Reeves ’89 from chief marketing officer to chief executive officer Oct. 21, 2021. Work-Relay is a native Salesforce.com application for streamlining the operational business processes and projects that define how an organization gets work done. Before Work-Relay, Reeves was the chief marketing officer, director, and global head of marketing for IBM Automation. There, he was instrumental in building the brand and executing an end-to-end marketing strategy for the $2.5 billion IBM automation mission.

Reeves matriculated from Stanardsville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

Charles E. Bayless ’95 was named senior vice president and general counsel for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives in September 2021. He succeeds Rick Feathers, who retired after 18 years of service. North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives encompass the family of organizations that provides wholesale power, materials, energy services, and trade association to the state’s 26 local electric distribution cooperatives. The cooperatives collectively serve the energy needs for 1 million homes and businesses in 93 North Carolina counties.

Bayless has been an integral part of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives legal team since 2010 and was serving as the vice president and senior regulatory counsel before being appointed to succeed Feathers.

He matriculated from Tucson, Arizona, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI. He earned

Bernet ’85

VMI alumni supporting the medical center addition and alterations project at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center are (from left) Billy Jaeger ’07, Navy Facilities Engineering Command Bethesda design team lead; Mike Werner ’06, NAVFAC Bethesda hospital construction management specialist; U.S. Navy Capt. Greg Vinci ’93, regional engineer and NAVFAC Washington commander; U.S. Army Col. Anthony Meador ’95, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center chief of staff; Beau Cook ’83, NAVFAC Bethesda engineering technician lead; Tom Pierpoint ’15, Clark Construction superintendent; and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jimmy Angerman ’06, NAVFAC Bethesda public works officer.