Furness ’87 Named 16th Superintendent

The VMI Board of Visitors appointed retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87 as the Institute’s 16th superintendent, the chief executive officer of the Institute.

Jamie Inman ’86, BOV president, stated, “Lieutenant General Furness distinguished himself among a strong field of candidates. His impeccable military record, passion for the VMI experience, and proven track record of advancing the mission of complex organizations make him the right person to lead the Institute in this next chapter of its history. The board is invested in Lieutenant General Furness’ success as superintendent and looks forward to his efforts to lead the Institute to fulfill its vision to be the premier small college in the nation, unequaled in producing educated and honorable citizen-leaders, with a global reputation for academic excellence.”

Furness is humbled by the appointment. “My selection as the 16th superintendent of the VMI is the highest professional honor of my lifetime. Lynda and I are thrilled to be heading back to Lexington to serve the VMI community,” he said. “I have benefited immeasurably from my VMI education and the leadership experience it afforded me. I am indebted to the Institute for molding me into the man I am today, and it is an immense honor to give back and serve the VMI community as superintendent.”

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Furness graduated summa cum laude from VMI with a degree in history. He attained the rank of first captain and regimental commander, the highest-ranking position a cadet can earn. He commissioned into the Marine Corps, where he served for 36 years before retiring in 2023.

Throughout his distinguished career, he has served in a variety of command and staff billets in both the operating forces and the supporting establishment. As a lieutenant, he served as a platoon commander; as a captain and major, he served in the 1st Marine Division as the commanding officer of Company K and the operations officer of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. As a lieutenant colonel, Furness again served in the 1st Marine Division as the G3 Plans officer, deputy G-3, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, then as the executive officer of the 1st Marine Regiment. As a colonel, he commanded the 1st Marine Regiment.

As legislative assistant to the commandant of the Marine Corps from 2013–17, he served as liaison between the Marine Corps and both chambers of Congress, advocating for funding while navigating the new Budget Control Act. A lifelong learner and proponent of education, Furness created curricula and delivered training to organizations of up to 17,000, led a flagship professional military education program, and pioneered a 2-year Master of Public Policy program with George Mason University in Fairfax.

From 2017–18, he served as the senior U.S. military officer on the African continent for Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa, focused on counterterrorism, regional security, and strategic relations development across 11 nations. He introduced process improvements, which brought $2 million in monthly savings and elevated aircraft utilization rates to 90%, delivering another $12.78 million in savings.

From 2018–20, he was commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division, leading a combined organization of 17,000, and held global responsibility for supporting operations in Indo-Pacific, European, African, Middle Eastern, and South American regions. He managed over $2 billion in assets and executed the largest Marine Corps training exercise in over 40 years. He also pioneered a peer-to-peer personal counseling program that reduced suicide and suicide attempts by 66% in just 18 months.

As a three-star general, he served as deputy commandant for Plans, Policy, and Operations at the Marine Corps headquarters in the Pentagon from 2020–23, synchronizing operations and the global deployment of 200,000 active-duty and reserve Marines across 17 countries and 24 time zones.

Most recently, he has been employed by J.A. Green & Company, a bipartisan government relations firm, as executive vice president of defense programs.

Furness holds two master’s degrees: One in military studies from the Marine Corps University at Quantico and the second in national security and strategic studies from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.

His personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device, Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Col. Lawrence “Ley” Havird ’90, commandant of cadets at VMI, recalls his rat year, when Furness was regimental commander. “The Class of 1990 rapidly committed to memory the name of David Furness. What I remember most is the level of professionalism and personal example he provided the Corps to aspire toward. He excelled academically, militarily, and athletically. I am confident he will inspire the same level of admiration and confidence among today’s Corps of Cadets in his return as the 16th superintendent,” Havird said.

Lt. Col. Daren Payne ’90, Facilities Management deputy director, who was also a rat during Furness’ 1st Class year, said his class could not have asked for a more appropriate leader to direct their initial introduction to VMI and the military lifestyle. “With 40 years of hindsight, I clearly see his vision was to prepare us for our worst day, whether that be in combat, our personal lives or professionally,” said Payne. “He went above and beyond in developing programs of training in addition to the typical Rat Line activities to prepare us for our future roles at the Institute and in the military. On a more personal level, Lieutenant General Furness continuously set the example in all areas of the Three-Legged Stool. The grit, toughness, and confidence we developed as a result of his leadership continue to serve my brother rats and I well to this day as we tackle life challenges.”

Currently residing in Tampa, Florida, Furness will arrive on post Sept. 15 and will be joined by his wife, Lynda, and daughter, Elizabeth, who has special needs. The couple also has three grown sons: David, Benjamin, and Zachary.

Six months ago, the board appointed a Search Committee to identify VMI’s next leader. The Search Committee embodied the rich diversity of the VMI experience throughout its history. The committee included faculty, staff, current and former board members, general and flag officers, members who commissioned and those who did not, cadet-athletes, and multiple graduates from each decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and the 2000s. Many members of the committee now or in the past served the Institute community with the Alumni Association, the VMI Foundation, and as class agents. The committee’s search process was transparent, inclusive, and, above all, thorough, screening hundreds of candidates, interviewing six, and conducting on post visits with three finalists.