#ourso

United States Army Sergeant Andrea Huff traveled secretly from Afghanistan to surprise her sister and family at the E. J. Ourso College of Business 2012 Spring Diploma Ceremony.

Russel L. Honoré, a retired lieutenant general and 33rd commanding general of the U.S. First Army at Fort Gillem, Ga., will serve as the keynote speaker for this semester’s LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business Diploma Ceremony. The ceremony will be held at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Friday, May 18, 2012, beginning at 12:30 p.m.

  Honoré, a native of Lakeland, La., was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry and awarded a bachelor’s in vocational agriculture upon graduation from Southern University in 1971. He holds a master’s in human resources from Troy State University, as well as an honorary doctorate in public administration from Southern University and an honorary doctorate in law from Stillman College. Additionally, Honoré received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Virginia State University, Stillman College, Loyola University, Virginia State University and Meharry Medical College.

  Following Hurricane Katrina’s destruction of the Gulf Coast in 2005, Honoré led the Joint Task Force Katrina and commanded all active-duty troops from all military branches for the storm recovery operations. He also led the Department of Defense response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

  Honoré has served in a variety of command and staff positions that focused on defense support to civil authorities and homeland defense in Korea and Germany. He served as vice director for operations for the Joint Staff and Washington D.C., deputy commanding general and assistant commandant of the U.S. Army Infantry Center and School at Fort Benning and Georgia. He was also the assistant division commander for the First Calvary Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

  For four of the past six hurricane seasons, Honoré supported the Department of Defense planning and response for hurricanes and planned and supported the U.S. military response to floods in Venezuela and Mozambique. As vice director for operations, he led the Defense Department’s planning and preparation for the anticipated Y2K Millennium anomaly. Honoré planned and oversaw the military response to the Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy and the DC Sniper Shootings. Additionally, he participated in three TOPOFF, or Top Officials, exercises as well as the United Endeavor series of Homeland Defense exercises.

  Honoré has received numerous medals and honors, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

  37 years of active service in the U.S. Army, Honoré retired in 2008. Honoré continues to speak and consult nationally on building a culture of preparedness and, in 2010, appeared as a keynote speaker for the National Evacuation Conference.