Vernon E. Clark
Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy (retired)

Admiral Vernon E. Clark joined SRI’s Board of Directors in 2007.

Admiral Clark retired in 2005 after completing the Navy’s second-longest tenure as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). He served aboard naval destroyers and commanded the Carl Vinson Battle Group/Cruiser Destroyer Group Three, the Second Fleet, and the Atlantic Fleet. Previously, he served in several capacities in the Office of Naval Operations, including Special Assistant to the Director of the Systems Analysis Division, Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and Administrative Aide to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral Clark directed the Joint Staff’s Crisis Action Team for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Admiral Clark serves on the boards of Raytheon Company, Horizon Lines, Rolls Royce North America, the Armed Forces YMCA, the World Board of Governors of the USO, and he is a member of the Defense Policy Board. He is on the Board of Trustees at Regent University and the Board of Visitors at Air University. Admiral Clark is on advisory boards with Fleishman-Hillard Inc., the U.S. General Accounting Office, Computer Science Corporation, and Whitney, Bradley & Brown.

He holds an M.B.A. from the University of Arkansas and degree from Evangel University. He attended Officer Candidate School and received his Navy commission in August 1968.