The Citadel Names New Director of Alumni Affairs
June 18, 2014
CHARLESTON, SC – Col. J. Laurence Hutto, Jr., U.S. Army, will be The Citadel’s new director of alumni affairs, as well as executive director of The Citadel Alumni Association. Hutto retires from active service when he assumes his new role at the college in July. He graduated from The Citadel in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and after serving in numerous Army leadership roles, returned to the college in 2010 as a professor of military science and head of The Citadel’s Army ROTC unit.
One highlight of Hutto’s achievements at the college includes operational improvements leading to a 40 percent increase in the number of Army commissioned officers since 2010, making The Citadel the largest producer of commissioned officers out of all of the nation’s ROTC programs.
“Laurence’s experience, integrity and passion for The Citadel put him in the ideal position to lead our alumni association,” said Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, The Citadel’s president. “His familiarity with the campus culture and supporting organizations, such as The Citadel Foundation and The Citadel Brigadier Foundation, will allow the Association to take on an even greater role in the future success of the college.”
Upon graduating from The Citadel, Hutto was awarded a commission in the Army as a second lieutenant in field artillery in the 3rd Armored Division. During combat in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, he held various duty positions, including company fire support, battery fire direction officer and firing battery platoon leader. Early in his career Hutto served as assistant battalion operations officer for 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and the targeting officer for the 327th Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division there. In 1995 he was reassigned to Ft. Bragg, N.C., and the 82nd Airborne Division as the division artillery assistant operations officer; division artillery adjutant; battalion fire support officer for the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment; division assistant fire support coordinator; and the division artillery headquarters and headquarters battery commander.
Hutto’s work within an academic community began in 2000 when he became an assistant professor of military science at the University of Hawaii and aide-de-camp to the commanding general of the U.S. Army, Pacific. Hutto transitioned from there to Ft. Hood, Texas, with the 4th Infantry Division and the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, serving as the battalion executive officer during combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He went on to hold numerous other leadership roles that included a combat deployment to Afghanistan as a battalion commander with the 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment during Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2010 Hutto was named professor of military science at The Citadel.
Hutto’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal (4th Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Saudi Arabia Medal, Kuwait Liberation Kuwait Medal, Southwest Asia, Iraq, and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, NATO ISAF Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, and the Senior Parachutist and Air Assault Badges.
In addition to The Citadel, Hutto attended U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Hutto replaces Michael F. Rogers who is retiring after serving 13 years in the alumni affairs roles.
“While we’re sorry to see Mike Rogers go, we recognize that he has earned some well-deserved time with his family after serving his alma mater, the FBI and the U.S. Air Force,” said Scott Tucker, president, The Citadel Alumni Association. “We look forward to welcoming Col. Hutto who is an active alumnus, and has served as the Army’s representative with The Citadel Alumni Association for four years. He’s the right person to build relationships with our contingent of more than 12-thousand Association members across the nation.”
Hutto is married to the former Carrie Konitzer of Colorado, and they have three children—John, Lauren, and Meghan. He was born and raised in the Providence community near Holly Hill, S.C., between Charleston and Columbia.
