Accomplished Marine commander to direct Cadets’ leadership development
June 22, 2015
Col. Tom Clark named new director for Citadel’s Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics
CHARLESTON, SC − Leadership, ethics and service learning courses and experiences are a deeply embedded and required component of every cadet’s four-year program at The Citadel. Though everyone in The Citadel community plays a role in developing cadets into principled leaders, much of the path that is followed is mapped out and implemented by The Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics. Starting July 15, Col. Tom Clark, USMC (Retired), will take the helm as the new executive director for the Krause Center.
Clark, a member of The Citadel Class of 1985, will replace COL. Joseph Trez, USA (Retired), who was the executive director for the center when it was established in 2012. Trez graduated from The Citadel in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and recently retired after serving his alma mater in numerous positions for more than 30 years. His 26-year active duty military career included infantry command at every level, from platoon through brigade, and two tours of duty in Viet Nam. Later, after earning an MBA from The Citadel Graduate College, Trez worked as an assistant professor of Military Sciences and rose to eventually be named as the executive director for the Krause Center. During his tenure the center and the South Carolina Corps of Cadets provided more than 30,000 hours of community services. The college earned a prestigious national award for civic engagement, and also earned the Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification which has been awarded to only two percent of America’s institutes of higher learning.
Clark retired from active service this month after serving 30 years as a Marine fighter pilot. He accumulated 4000 hours flight time and flew 115 combat missions. He served in leadership positions overseas during Operations DESERT STORM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM and was deployed to the Middle East, Far East, South America, and South Pacific as well as aboard USS Coral Sea and USS Theodore Roosevelt.
A parachute-qualified Forward Air Controller, Clark also served as Senior Aide-de-camp for two Marine Corps Commandants and as the J-5 Strategy and Policy Division Chief at U.S. Central Command Headquarters. He commanded an F/A-18C Squadron in combat and an Aviation Training Group in Texas. He served as the Commanding Officer and Professor of Naval Science for the Naval ROTC Unit at The Citadel during his final tour.
Clark graduated from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics/Computer Science. He holds graduate degrees in Military Studies from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, National Resource Management from the Eisenhower School, and Project Management from The Citadel Graduate College.
Clark is married to the former Amelia Shults of Columbia, South Carolina. They have two children — Caroline, married to 1stLt. Brad Elliott, USAF, and Thomas, a senior at The Citadel — and one granddaughter, Amelia Ann.
