FERRUM, VA (October 28, 2022) – On Friday, November 11, 2022, Ferrum alumnus and Lieutenant Colonel Derek R. Baird ’96 will be the keynote speaker during Ferrum College’s annual Veterans Day ceremony. The ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. in Vaughn Chapel and is open to the community.
Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, LTC Baird enlisted in 1997 and was selected for Officer Candidate School and commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery in 2000.
LTC Baird’s next assignment was to Fort Hood, TX where he ultimately deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Following the career course, LTC Baird returned to Fort Hood, where he served as the 2-4 CAV Task Force Fire Support Officer and the Commander of Battery Alpha, 1-82 FA where he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08.
LTC Baird’s next assignment took him to the National Training Center, where he served on the Tarantula and Wolf Teams as an Observer/Controller-Trainer. Following the U.S. Army Command and Staff College, LTC Baird served as the 3rd Infantry Division’s Deputy Chief of Fires, where he deployed to Afghanistan, and served as the 1-9 FA and 3ID Division Artillery Operations Officers. LTC Baird then served as the Joint Fire Support Officer for the 1st German-Netherlands Corps, a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps. His next assignment was back at Ford Hood as the Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment Battalion, deploying his Battalion to Europe as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
LTC Baird is currently a student at the United States Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Ferrum College, and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University.
LTC Baird is married to the former Jolinda Bandy from Ohio, and they have two dogs, Layla and Joker.
FERRUM, VA (October 19, 2022) – Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore will be the inaugural speaker for the new Gentry Locke lecture series hosted by Ferrum College on Monday, November 14, 2022. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 6:00–7:00 p.m. on campus in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Registration is required here.
The lecture series is a partnership between Ferrum College and Gentry Locke, a prominent Virginia law firm with offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg and Richmond. The Gentry Locke lecture series will bring two experts and thought leaders to the College per academic year to discuss current social and cultural topics of interest.
“Gentry Locke is pleased to sponsor this speaker series, and we are proud of our long association with Ferrum College,” commented Kevin Holt, a partner at Gentry Locke. “For decades, the College has brought thought leaders from various fields to campus and the wider community. The speakers have challenged and enlightened their audiences and, in many cases, have opened windows to the world for Ferrum students. We look forward to Governor Gilmore and future speakers continuing in that tradition.”
Gilmore’s breadth of domestic and international experience made him an attractive choice as this year’s speaker. In addition to serving as Virginia’s Attorney General and, later, Virginia’s Governor, he most recently concluded his service as U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Following his term as ambassador, Gilmore led a delegation sponsored by the American Foreign Policy Council to assess the status of Ukraine. The delegation conducted numerous meetings in Kyiv, and continued to Mariupol and battlefield visits in southern Ukraine.
Ambassador Gilmore stated, “I look forward to speaking at Ferrum College for its inaugural Gentry Locke Lecture Series. I will bring my passion for foreign affairs to this lecture. Serving as Ambassador to the OSCE I can expand on how much our allies—especially in western and eastern Europe—rely on American leadership during these trying times.”
Wilson Paine, vice president for Institutional Advancement & External Relations, believes these types of events are what makes Ferrum an asset to students and the broader region. “The Gentry Locke lecture series represents an investment in Ferrum College’s continued work to provide a holistic, transformative educational experience to students in our region, to impact the vitality of our community, and to recognize Gentry Locke for their partnership and tireless work on behalf of the College,” said Paine.
To learn more about the Gentry Locke lecture series or to register to attend, please click here.
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