335:. In 1974, he was elected chairman of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. In 1975, he founded the Economic Development Foundation and served as its chairman until 1980. In the 1980s, he focused on the developing of biotechnology in San Antonio, and founded the Texas Research and Technology Foundation which began development of the Texas Research Park. In the mid-1990s he was chairman of an investor group that purchased the
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General McDermott laid the groundwork for the establishment of an
Astronautical Research Laboratory and an extension of the enrichment program to include graduate education opportunities for exceptional cadets. He was credited with introducing about 30 academic majors to the Academy and bringing a degree of flexibility to curriculum requirements.
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Also in 1956, as another service academy first, General McDermott introduced a comprehensive curriculum enrichment program designed to provide each cadet with a challenge to advance academically as far and as fast as possible, in accordance with the cadet's aptitudes, interests and prior preparation.
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General McDermott has emerged as a recognized leader in higher education and pioneer in military education. The innovations he introduced in the service academy system of education included the "whole person" concept in selecting cadets and a program of advanced and elective courses to enrich the
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Within the company, he was a leading force for minority hiring and equalizing wages. He established four-day workweeks and made employee child care a feature to attract working mothers. "You don't lead by being authoritarian, he said....He had a reputation as a rare maverick in the insurance
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For his leadership in business, he was selected to the Texas
Business Hall of Fame in 1987 and the American National Business Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1993, West Point selected him to receive its Distinguished Graduate Award. In 1994
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prescribed curriculum. The concept of using measures of a candidate's moral and leadership attributes as well as physical and mental qualifications for selection was introduced in 1956, for the first time at any service academy.
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Testaments to his lifelong interests in education include an elementary school and a
Clinical Science Building at the University of Texas Health Science Center which bear his name. A grateful community designated a section of
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as the Robert F. McDermott
Freeway in recognition of his many initiatives as a pioneer civic entrepreneur, both in education and economic development. Academic chairs in his honor have been established at the
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McDermott died on August 28, 2006, in San
Antonio at the age of 86. He had suffered a stroke about a month earlier. General McDermott was eulogized by former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
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405:'s highest honor, the Alumni Achievement Award, as a tribute to his accomplishments at the Air Force Academy and USAA. He received the Golden Plate Award from the
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business, most notably advocating air bags as a crucial safety measure when auto manufacturers were saying it was too costly.
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General McDermott served as a combat pilot and operations officer of a fighter-bomber group in the
European Theater during
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that accompanied his appointment as dean made him the youngest general or flag officer on active duty at that time.
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and as a staff officer in a theater headquarters and in the
Pentagon. His combat decorations include the
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Brig. Gen. McDermott receives an inscribed sword from a cadet at the United States Air Force
Academy.
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McDermott wrote books on finance for service personnel, which attracted the attention of
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president
Charles Cheever and in 1968, McDermott retired from the Air Force to join
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in 1957, and as the first permanent Dean of the
Faculty in 1959. His promotion to
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in June 1999. His Golden Plate was presented by Awards Council member General
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inducted him into the Insurance Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was awarded the
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Henry G. Cisneros, Eulogy of Robert F. McDermott, September 1, 2006.
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In September 1993 he assumed the position of chairman emeritus.
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489:"Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement"
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McDermott also played a significant role in the community of
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Air Force portrait of Brigadier General Robert F. McDermott
169:(July 31, 1920 – August 28, 2006) was the first permanent
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Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
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Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
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397:'s National Business Hall of Fame. In 1996, the
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177:, and later served as Chairman and CEO of
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135:Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
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588:Military personnel from San Antonio
339:basketball team for $ 85 million.
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593:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
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538:Official U.S. Air Force biography
211:master of business administration
603:United States Air Force generals
426:at the funeral, and interred at
131:Army Distinguished Service Medal
497:American Academy of Achievement
431:United States National Cemetery
407:American Academy of Achievement
399:International Insurance Society
379:United States Air Force Academy
277:United States Air Force Academy
175:United States Air Force Academy
573:Harvard Business School alumni
453:Bernstein, Adam (2006-08-29).
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207:United States Military Academy
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578:Saint Louis University alumni
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393:selected him as Laureate in
613:Recipients of the Air Medal
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228:February 11, 2004, at the
623:Norwich University alumni
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511:San Antonio Express News
167:Robert Francis McDermott
81:United States of America
23:Robert Francis McDermott
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309:chief executive officer
215:Harvard Business School
209:. In 1950, he earned a
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343:Awards and recognition
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99:Years of service
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16:US Air Force general
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199:Boston Latin School
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264:), and the
246:Bronze Star
201:, attended
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67:San Antonio
557:Categories
474:2022-12-29
252:with five
77:Allegiance
469:0190-8286
374:Loop 1604
262:Air Force
250:Air Medal
193:Education
147:Air Medal
102:1943-1968
381:and the
370:Downtown
364:between
248:and the
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127:Awards
89:branch
47:Boston
437:Notes
417:Death
333:Texas
71:Texas
465:ISSN
366:I-35
305:USAA
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