ROCK OF THE YEAR
ROCK OF THE YEAR
FOR 2002
General Larry R. Ellis
U.S. Army, Retired
General Larry R. Ellis assumed command of U.S. Army Forces Command on November 19, 2001, following his assignment as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Department of the Army.
With more than 32 years of Army service, General Ellis has served in the United States, Vietnam, Germany, the Republic of Korea, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. His command assignments include 1st Armored Division, Germany; Multinational Division (North), Bosnia and Herzegovina; Assistant Division Commander, 2d Infantry Division, Korea; Brigade Commander, 3d Infantry Division, Germany; Battalion Commander, 5th Infantry Division, Fort Polk, La.; Company Commander, 101st Airborne Division, Vietnam; and 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
His staff assignments included Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans; Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters, Department of the Army; Assistant Chief of Staff, C3/J3/G3, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea/Eighth United States Army, Korea; Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Policy, Headquarters, U.S. Pacific Command, Hawaii; Deputy Director, Military Personnel Management, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters, Department of the Army; Force Structure Analyst and Chief, Manpower and Force Structure Division, Program Analysis and Evaluation Directorate, Office of Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Department of the Army; Staff Officer, Headquarter, U. S. Army Europe, Germany; Staff and Faculty, U. S. Military Academy, West Point; Battalion Staff Officer, 101st Airborne Division, Vietnam; and Battalion Operations Officer, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
General Ellis’ awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with three stars, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with three stars, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry/Palm, the Korean Cheonsu Medal, the German Armed Forces Honor Cross (Gold), the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Office of Secretary of Defense Staff Identification Badge, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and the Army General Staff Identification Badge.
ROCK OF THE YEAR
FOR 2002
Colonel Verle Hammond
U.S. Army, Retired
Mr. Verle B. Hammond is the President and CEO of Innovative Logistics Techniques, Incorporated; also known as INNOLOG. He founded INNOLOG in 1989. In 12 years, INNOLOG has become the nation’s leading provider of logistics systems engineering, information services and supply chain logistics. Under Mr. Hammond’s leadership, INNOLOG has grown from a staff of 15 with a $250,000 contract to over 300 employees with annual revenues of over $60 million. In 2002, INNOLOG worked with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Lockheed Martin on the Strategic Airport Security Rollout (SASR). The mission was to support TSA by assisting them in transitioning airport security from privately managed contract baggage and passenger screeners to federal employees at 429 airports in the United States and its territories in a six-month period. INNOLOG’s role was to create a large, nationally based staff with the management skills necessary to support simultaneous rollout efforts nationwide. It was one of the most ambitious programs in U.S. history and helped INNOLOG gain over $90 million in revenue for 2002. To date, INNOLOG maintains its corporate headquarters in McLean, Va., with key field sites in Alabama, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas.
Mr. Hammond has been in the logistics field for over 45 years, including 28 years in the Army. During his Army career he held key command and management assignments in all aspects of logistics and weapons systems acquisition, with overseas assignments in Germany, Iran, Korea and Vietnam. After retiring as an Army colonel in 1984, Mr. Hammond joined McLean-based Innovative Technology, Inc. (ITI) as the company’s Army Program Manager. In less than a year he was promoted to Senior Vice President and Director of Operations with responsibilities that included supervision of all technical and administrative operations. During his five years at ITI, revenue from Army sources increased an average of 338% per year.
As the founder and CEO of INNOLOG he has been at the forefront of out-of-the-box logistics thinking in areas such as asset visibility and supply chain technology. He has willingly shared his business acumen with start up small businesses through mentoring. In March 1999, he established the “INNOLOG Entrepreneurial Scholarship Award” endowment fund in the School of Business and Industry at his alma mater, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. This endowment supports fourth- and fifth-year students enrolled in the school’s prestigious MBA program.
Mr. Hammond and INNOLOG have received numerous awards and accolades over the years. Here are just a notable few of their recognitions:
Since 1996, Black Enterprise Magazine has included INNOLOG in its annual “B.E.100s” listing of America’s largest and most successful black-owned companies.
In 1998, Deloitte and Touche recognized INNOLOG as part of its Virginia Fast 50 ranking of the fastest growing technology companies in the state.
That same year, the McDonald’s Corporation’s selected Mr. Hammond as one of its “Black History Makers of Today”, and the Northern Virginia Urban League awarded him with its “Corporate Award”.
In 2001, INNOLOG received the 2001 Mid-size Company CARE Award from the Northern Virginia Family Service and Companies As Responsive Employers Advisory Committee for demonstrating leadership in creating family-friendly environments for their employees. Mr. Hammond holds an MBA specializing in operations research and systems analysis from Florida State University, and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics from Florida A&M University. He is a member of Sigma Iota Epsilon an honorary and professional management fraternity; and Beta Gamma Sigma a business honors society. Colonel Hammond and his wife Eleanor reside in McLean, VA. The Hammond’s three adult children work at INNOLOG and they have seven grandchildren
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