U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation Announces 2022 Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients

ANNAPOLIS, MD (4 April 2022)—The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation is pleased to announce the 2022 Distinguished Graduate Award recipients, who will be honored in a ceremony at the Naval Academy this Fall.

Chairman and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group
Former U.S. 7th Fleet Commander and Chief Operating Officer for a Boeing Business Unit
Former CEO of BHP Petroleum
First Woman Commandant of Midshipmen and Naval War College Dean of Leadership and Ethics
Former USNA Superintendent and Current President of the University of Nebraska System

Peter de Vos ’71: Graduating in the top 10% of his class, de Vos is one of 18 graduates from ’71 commended by the Superintendent for outstanding leadership. He was a submarine officer aboard USS Spadefish (SSN-668) and USS Memphis (SSN-691), then after receiving his MBA at Stanford, became an investment banker. He was head of U.S. Investment Banking for RBC Capital Markets from 2001-2009, then became Chairman and CEO of Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group (TVIG), a wind farm construction company, which at the time of construction built the largest wind and solar farm on a federal facility, and the wind farm in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A member of the Naval Academy Foundation Board of Directors from 2007-2016, de Vos was instrumental in the $541M Called to Serve, Daring to Lead campaign. Peter de Vos resides in Baltimore, MD.

Vice Admiral William “Doug” Crowder ’74, USN (Ret.): Vice Admiral Crowder served 36 years as a Surface Warfare Officer, commanded the strike group that assisted in tsunami relief following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, was the U.S. 7th Fleet Commander, and completed his career as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans and Strategy. As a commander, he spearheaded the Navy’s response to the attack on the Pentagon’s Navy Command Center on 9/11. After retirement, he served as the Chief Operating Officer for a $1B business unit for Boeing, then started a consultancy practice. Vice Admiral Crowder is the Director of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and National Museum, and was Chairman of the Olmsted Foundation. Vice Admiral William Crowder spends time in Bradenton, FL and resides in Severna Park, MD.

J. Michael Yeager ’76: A three-year letterman on the Navy football team that Beat Army three of four years, Yeager served as a U.S. Marine artillery officer. He spent 26 years with Exxon Mobil, departing as vice president of operations in 20 countries, then served as CEO of BHP Petroleum, doubling profits during his eight-year tenure. His personal philanthropy was major part of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium renovations and the Terwilliger Center for Student Athletes. Yeager currently serves on the Foundation Board of Directors and is a longtime Athletic and Scholarships Program trustee and committee chair. J. Michael Yeager resides in Houston, TX.

Rear Admiral Margaret “Peg” Klein ’81, USN (Ret.): Rear Admiral Klein served for 36 years as a Naval Flight Officer, was the first woman to serve as the Commandant of Midshipmen and completed her career as Senior Advisor for Military Professionalism on the staff of the Secretary of Defense. After retirement, she is serving as the Dean, College of Leadership and Ethics, Naval War College, and is on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Naval Institute. Rear Admiral Klein is an Athletic and Scholarship Program trustee, and USNA Leadership Conference keynote speaker. Rear Admiral Margaret “Peg” Klein resides in Newport, RI.

Vice Admiral Walter “Ted” Carter ’81, USN (Ret.): Vice Admiral Carter served for 38 years as a Naval Flight Officer, amassing the most carrier arrested landings in history (2,016), served as the 54th president of the Naval War College, and completed his career as the 62nd Superintendent of the Naval Academy. After retirement he became the 8th president of the University of Nebraska system, leading four campuses, 52,000 students, 16,000 faculty and staff, and a $3 billion budget. As Superintendent he was a key leader in the $541M Called to Serve, Daring to Lead campaign, is a President’s Circle donor, and serves as a Naval Academy Foundation Athletic and Scholarships Program trustee. Vice Admiral Walter “Ted” Carter resides in Lincoln, NE.

The USNA Alumni Association and Foundation wishes to thank the 2022 DGA selection panelists, led by Panel Chair Admiral Jonathan Greenert ’75, USN (Ret.), for their diligent and difficult task in selecting these five outstanding graduates from a highly competitive field of nominees. This year’s selection panel:

            Admiral Tim Keating ’71, USN (Ret.)

            Byron Marchant ’78

            Lieutenant General John Wissler ’78, USMC (Ret.)

            Vice Admiral Bruce Grooms ’80, USN (Ret.)

            Vice Admiral Sean Buck ’83, USN

            Vice Admiral Jan Tighe ’84, USN (Ret.)

            Matice Wright-Springer ‘88                                                  

            George O’Garro ’05

            Admiral Mark Ferguson ’78, USN (Ret.) (non-voting member)

We also thank the Naval Academy alumni who submitted nominations – the board was impressed by the achievements of every nominee.

For more information on the nomination and selection process for the Distinguished Graduate Award, and a list of past honorees, please visit https://www.usna.com/DGA.

The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation is a non-profit, independent corporation with more than 68,000 members, more than 70 active alumni classes, and more than 100 chapters around the world.
For more information, visit www.usna.com or email us.