Van D. Hipp, Jr.

Van D. Hipp, Jr. is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Defense International, Inc. (ADI), a Washington, DC-based consulting firm specializing in government affairs, business development and public relations.

"From 1986 to 1989, Van Hipp served as the Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. In 1988, Hipp served as a member of the Presidential Electoral College and as a speaker at the Republican National Convention where he introduced former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich.

"In 1990, Hipp was sworn in as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Reserve Forces and Mobilization). In this capacity, he served as the Army Secretariat's 'point man' for the successful mobilization, and then demobilization, of the Army's reserve forces for Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

"Following the 'Tailhook Scandal,' Hipp was named by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney to be the Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Navy. As the Navy's number two lawyer, Hipp's responsibilities involved all aspects of legal interest to the Navy, including government contracts, ethics, environmental and counter-narcotics law. Hipp served in this capacity until January of 1993.

"Hipp is a veteran of the U.S. Army and served on active duty in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Restore Democracy. He continues to speak on defense issues at public forums across the country, and his articles on defense and international policy have been widely read in the national print media. Hipp's television appearances include the CBS Evening News and CNN's Daybreak Program, as an expert on the Army's mobilization process during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Currently, he serves on the Board of Advisors for the Salvation Army.

"Since the September 11th attacks on the United States, Hipp has appeared regularly on the Fox News Network as a military/defense analyst and has been a guest on virtually all of the network's major news programming including The O'Reilly Factor and Hannity & Colmes. He has also been named to the President's Council of the National Safe Skies Alliance. On April 23, 2002 Hipp was named by Governor Jim Hodges (D-SC) as South Carolina Ambassador for Economic Development.

"Hipp received his Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Wofford College, and now serves on the Executive Council of the National Alumni Association. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. In 1990, Van was the recipient of Wofford College's National Young Alumnus of the Year Award."

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