Anthony Tata – Brigadier General, U.S. Army (retired)

Board of Visitors, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Currently serving as a member of the Board of Visitors at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Previously performed the duties of Undersecretary of Defense for Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Former Chie Growth Officer at Air Data Solutions, LLC, a full spectrum data acquisition and software as a service company specializing in the energy, agriculture, and infrastructure asset management fields using proprietary software as a service to allow businesses and government entities to better manage their facilities.

Former CEO and President of Tata Leadership Group, a full-service consulting business across all industry sectors focused on leadership, strategy, business development, and scaling business. Former Secretary of Transportation, NC Department of Transportation leading 12,500 employees and managing a $4.5B budget. Former Superintendent of Wake County Public School System; led 18,000 employees and 150,000 students to record academic heights.

Retiring as a U.S. Army Brigadier General after a 28-year career, Tony joined Chancellor Michelle Rhee in her mission to overhaul the DC Public Schools as Chief Operating Officer. He then served as Superintendent of Wake County (Raleigh), NC Public Schools where he led the system to record academic achievements. Next, he served as Secretary of Transportation of North Carolina responsible upgrading North Carolina's highway, rail, seaport, airport, and ferry systems. He is also a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and Fox Business. Simultaneously, Tony also served as the senior military adviser to RL Leaders, a Hollywood-based consulting company specializing in bringing innovative and creative solutions to the defense community. At the same, Tony served as the senior military adviser to Special Tactical Services, a Virginia Beach based defense contracting company specializing in bringing training to specialized units and operators.

A career paratrooper and infantryman, Tony has commanded and led large, complex military organizations in the 10th Mountain Division, 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions. He also has experience in rapid acquisition and systems management from his roles as the deputy director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization and as the deputy commanding general of the Joint Task Force in Afghanistan.