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February 11, 2003
Contact:
Tom Davis
Troy Office of University Relations
334/670-3196
tomdavis@troy.edu
Office of University Relations
253 Adams Administration
Troy, AL 36082
(334) 670-3196
(334) 670-3274 (fax)
| TROY
STATE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS PRESS RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-334-670-3196 |
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General J. Gary Cooper scheduled to speak at TSU The first black officer to lead a U.S. Marine Corps infantry unit into combat will speak to Troy State University faculty, staff and students on Monday, Feb. 17, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Trojan Center Theater. The speaker, retired Maj. Gen. J. Gary Cooper, will deliver the keynote address for Black History Month events at TSU. Cooper is also a former ambassador to Jamaica and in 1976 founded Commonwealth National Bank, the first minority-owned national bank in Alabama. Currently, he is the CEO of Commonwealth National Bank. This event is sponsored by the Student Government Association and the Xi Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. There is no admission charge. For more information, call 334-566-1003. Cooper, a native of Lafayette, La., received his B.S. degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame. Upon graduation he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Following graduation he reported for duty with the 1st Marine Brigade. In Vietnam, he became the first black officer to lead an infantry company into combat in Marine Corps history. He later commanded a Marine reserve unit. During he earned the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry three times. He served the Clinton Administration as United States Ambassador to Jamaica from November 1994 until December 1997. He also served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations and the Environment under the administration of President George Bush. He is a former member of the Alabama Legislature, serving from 1973 until his appointment in 1978 as the Commissioner of the Alabama State Department of Human Resources. |