Gen. Kenneth F. “Frank” McKenzie Jr., USMC (Ret.), ‘79
President-Elect, The Citadel
A career infantry, Gen. Kenneth F. “Frank” McKenzie Jr., USMC (Ret.), ‘79, was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program at The Citadel, where he majored in English. Over more than four decades of service as a Marine Officer, he held a wide range of command and staff positions, including serving as Commander of Marine Forces Central Command and Director of the Joint Staff. His final military position was as the Commander, United States Central Command where he was responsible for all US military operations in a vast area of the world covering the Middle East and South Asia.
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, McKenzie holds an advanced degree from The Citadel Graduate College and is a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College as well as the School of Advanced Warfighting. He was a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow at the National Defense University.
Since retiring from active duty, McKenzie became the Executive Director of the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute in May 2022. In July 2022, he also became the Executive Director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, also known as Cyber Florida. His book, The Melting Point, about his time as a military commander, was published in 2024.
General McKenzie will take office as the 21st President of The Citadel on July 1, 2026 following the retirement of Citadel President General Glenn M. Walters, USMC (Ret.), ’79.
General Frank McKenzie addresses the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Graduation 2019.