GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF GENERAL LARRY R. ELLIS TO MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS

Four Star General Appointed to the University Board of Regents

ANNAPOLIS, MD –Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the appointment of General Larry R. Ellis (Retired), a four star general of the United States Army, to the Morgan State Board of Regents. General Ellis represents one of only six African Americans ever to hold the rank of four star general. General Ellis is a graduate of Morgan State University and a native of Cambridge, Maryland.

“Morgan State University has a proud history in the State of Maryland educating the leaders of tomorrow. It is an honor for me to appoint General Ellis to the Morgan State Board of Regents to build on that proud history,” said Governor O’Malley. “With more than 35 years of experience in the military, General Ellis brings a wealth of experience in planning, management, communications and operations. I am confident that his experience will be an asset to MSU as the university continues to educate our students and provide rich cultural opportunities for the region and the public.”

"We want to thank Governor O'Malley for appointing General Ellis to the Morgan State University Board of Regents," said Dallas Evans, Chairman of the Morgan State Board of Regents. "As a graduate of Morgan State, native son of Cambridge, and one of six African American four star generals in the nation, General Ellis is accomplished and well-respected in Maryland and abroad. It is an honor to serve with him on the Board."

General Larry R. Ellis (Retired), has more than 35 years of experience in the military, leading complex military organizations as large as 750,000. From 2005 to 2009, General Ellis served as the President and CEO of Point Blank Solution, Inc., a company that designs, manufactures and distributes resistant and protective body armor for military and law enforcement activities worldwide. He has served as President and CEO since 2005.

From 2001 to 2004, General Ellis served as the Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command at Ft. McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned his ranking of four star general. As Commander, General Ellis oversaw all aspects of the 750,000 military personnel and more than 10,000 civilian and contractor personnel, and was also responsible for the welfare and performance of personnel deployed in the 50 States and more than 30 countries. Prior to that, from 1999 to 2001, as three star general, General Ellis served as Chief Operations Officer for the U.S. Army at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. In that capacity, he developed plans and concepts of operations for the Army, affecting over one million soldiers and their families deployed nationwide. From 1997 to 1999, General Ellis served as a two star general operational level commander at the First Armored Division in Bad Kreuznach, Germany and Bosnia. General Ellis directed a multi-national organization of 18,000 people, with an annual budget of $250 million. General Ellis directed NATO, United States, Russian and Allied soldiers in the conduct of stability and support operations that successfully brought economic and political opportunity to Bosnia. In 1996, General Ellis served as the Deputy Director for Army Human Resources in Washington, DC. Prior to that, General Ellis served in a number of roles in his military career, including: Chief Operations Officer, United Nations Command, Deputy Director of Strategic Planning and Policy, Manpower and Force Structure Analyst, Logistics Staff Officer, and faculty at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

General Ellis received his Bachelor of Science from Morgan State University and received his Master of Science from Indiana University. He also attended the U.S. Army War College and participated in the National Security Studies Program at Syracuse and Johns Hopkins Universities.

General Ellis is the recipient of several honors and awards, including the Honorary Doctor of Laws, the Honorary Master of Strategic Studies, the ROCK of the Year Award, the Indiana University Distinguished Alumni Service Award, and the NAACP National Service Award.

He is married to Jean Ellis of Baltimore, has two daughters, and in his free time enjoys golf and athletic activities. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. General Ellis fills the vacancy of General Johnnie E. Wilson (Retired), and will begin his term on January 8, 2010.