Dr. Keith Thurgood is a seasoned executive, educator, and retired U.S. Army Major General with more than 28 years of leadership experience across military, corporate, and academic environments. His career reflects a deep commitment to operational excellence, strategic transformation, and developing leaders capable of executing with clarity and purpose.

In the private sector, Dr. Thurgood has held senior executive roles driving large-scale business operations and enterprise transformation. He served as President and CEO of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), a global retailer with over 3,000 facilities in 30 countries and annual revenues exceeding $10 billion. He later held executive leadership roles at MedAssets, PepsiCo and Xerox, where he led major initiatives in setting the strategic direction, guiding and coaching senior leaders, driving revenue growth and client relationship, supply-chain optimization, organizational effectiveness, and operational excellence—bringing disciplined execution and strategic alignment to complex, global organizations.

During his distinguished military service, Dr. Thurgood commanded major logistics and support organizations, culminating in his role as Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Reserve, overseeing 200,000 soldiers and a $9B budget. He also launched the Army's Employer Partnership Initiative to reduce veteran unemployment nationwide.

Today, Dr. Thurgood serves on the faculty at the University of Texas at Dallas, teaching leadership and organizational transformation. A respected thought leader, he writes and speaks extensively on enterprise leadership, culture, and strategy execution. He holds a PhD, an MBA, and a Master of Strategic Studies.