Rick Lynch

Military career Lynch's early assignments included command of a combat engineer company and a mobile assault bridge company in the 17th Engineer Battalion. After transferring to the Armor branch, he served as executive officer of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment during Operation Desert Storm. Lynch later commanded 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment and 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Assignments after attaining general officer rank in 2001 included: assistant division commander, 4th Infantry Division; chief of staff, Kosovo Force; and deputy chief of staff for operations, Allied Joint Force Command Naples. He also authored several books, including:

We're Not Robots: How Leading with Humanity Creates High-Performing Organizations Adapt or Die: Leadership Principles from an American General Work Hard, Pray Hard: The Power of Faith in Action.

Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Soldier's Medal Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster Parachutist Badge Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

In 2023, Lynch was the commencement speaker at Clarkson University and was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering.