Thurgood, Keith: - Keith Thurgood is currently a Clinical Professor of Healthcare Leadership and Management at the University of Texas Dallas's Jindal School of Management. He also leads the graduate program in Healthcare Leadership and Management and is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship. In addition to his responsibilities at UT Dallas, Dr. Thurgood is a faculty member and senior advisor for the Thayer Leader Development Group (West Point, New York). Dr. Thurgood was President of MedAssets Spend and Clinical Resource Management, a healthcare performance improvement company. He served as President and CEO of Overseas Military Sales Corporation and as the Senior Vice President of Operations for Sam's Club. He was also the CEO of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the Department of Defense's $10B for-profit retail organization. He has held executive positions with both Frito-Lay and PepsiCo. Dr. Thurgood recently returned to UTD following a 14-month sabbatical he took after an appointment by the Secretary of Defense Chief Management Officer to lead the largest global community services, retail, and grocery reform effort in a generation. In addition to his civilian corporate and academic work, he has over 28 years of Army service, both active and reserve. Major General Thurgood served simultaneously as the Commanding General of a logistics command and as the Deputy Commanding General of the Theater Support Command during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Following his tour of duty in the combat zone, he was assigned as the Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff, United States Army Reserve in Washington, D.C. His last assignment prior to his retirement was as the Deputy Director (IMA), Office of Business Transformation (Office of the Secretary of the Army). Dr. Thurgood serves on numerous not-for-profit boards. In 2016, he ran for a U.S. congressional seat. Dr. Thurgood holds a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University, an MS in Strategic Studies from the Army War College, an MS in Business Administration from Boston University and a PhD in Organizational Management and Leadership from Capella University. He is a frequent nationally recognized speaker on topics of leadership and operations management.