November 9, 2007

Chairman, Distinguished Graduate Award Committee
West Point Association of Graduates
698 Mills Road
West Point, NY 10996

SUBJECT: Nomination for Distinguished Graduate Award

Those who are honored as Distinguished Graduates have demonstrated distinguished service to their country, many illustrious achievements, and a lifelong interest in West Point. The Class of 1962 is pleased to support the nomination of James V. Kimsey, a patriot, an exemplary business leader, and a philanthropist and humanitarian who has provided a lifetime of service to West Point, his nation and the world.

Service to the Nation: The Beginning

Born in Arlington, Virginia, in 1939, James V. Kimsey grew up in Washington, D.C. After graduating from high school, he spent a year at Georgetown University before entering the Military Academy with the Class of 1962 in July 1958. Four years later, 2nd Lieutenant Kimsey joined the 82nd Airborne Division, and within months his company was first on the ground in the Dominican Republic. In 1965, Jim led a District Advisory Team at Duc Pho in the northern part of South Vietnam. While in country, he tenaciously and successfully argued with various U.S. and international organizations to establish an orphanage at Duc Pho—an entity that he has supported for more than thirty years. Returning to the states, he served at Fort Lewis, Washington, until 1968.

Captain Kimsey then returned for a second tour in Vietnam, this time with HQ, Military Assistance Command and the Joint Special Operations Center. His service during two tours earned him two Bronze Stars, two Commendation Medals for Valor, and a Joint Service Commendation Medal. In 1969, Major Kimsey returned to the States convinced that he needed to strike out on his own. He took with him the answers to three key questions he learned as a plebe that were later solidified when he was responsible for soldiers’ lives—“Yes Sir, No Sir, and No Excuse Sir.” His valuable training in Vietnam gave him a lifelong belief in results-oriented success—there was no excuse for failure. His airborne-ranger and combat experiences led to his induction into the Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 2005.

Business Innovator/Entrepreneur

Upon returning to his home town of Washington, D.C., Jim Kimsey launched an innovative and successful restaurant near the White House. This led to a string of four in the Washington area and a successful business career, but his most important innovation was not to be found in the restaurant business but in a completely different field, that of computers and Internet technology. In 1983, a West Point classmate sought out Jim to take over a struggling interactive-gaming company—Control Video Corporation. It would lead to the founding of Quantum Computer Services with a $50,000 dollar loan and ownership of some proprietary software. Jim’s ability to find and provide much-needed resources kept the new company solvent in its early years. Alexander Haig, former Secretary of State, noted, “The critical thing Jim Kimsey did was that he brought in a lot of talent and allowed creativity to blossom under him.” Jim hired Steve Case to market the new software services and later made him the president of the company. Under Jim’s management, Quantum Computer Services was transformed into America On Line five years later.

After AOL emerged in the Internet community, subscribership soon jumped from tens of thousands in the early days to more than eleven million by 1995. Jim’s vision successfully integrated AOL software with new computer hardware systems, like those of IBM. At the forefront of the information revolution, AOL became the nation’s leading independent provider of interactive online services and the biggest corporation ever created in the Washington Capital Area. It became a part of the modern-day lexicon when “You’ve Got Mail” made its way to millions of computer screens, allowing countless users to access the worldwide net for the first time. Within two years, AOL was setting industry standards. Jim’s belief in making the employees share in the success of the company created instant millionaires after the company went public.

The success of AOL provided the impetus for Jim to pursue what he later said was “a conscious understanding that on the day of your demise, the things that are most important are your relationships and whether you made the world a better place.” Jim turned over the leadership of AOL to Steve Case in 1996 and became its Chairman Emeritus.

Philanthropist and Humanitarian

The phenomenal success of AOL provided Jim Kimsey with the resources to make a difference in the world. With the self-confidence of an Internet pioneer and the access of the largest corporation ever created in the Washington area, Jim took on a number of tasks, beginning in his home town. He founded the Kimsey Foundation, in part to empower the schools of the District of Columbia, and he has used the power of the foundation to provide training for teachers and principals and computers and other technology for underprivileged schools in the city. His goal has been to raise the level of education for the children in the District. He takes time each month to visit various schools, holding meetings with the students and raising their awareness of becoming better students and better citizens. Jim serves on the boards of Boys and Girls Club and sits on the Board of the Washington Scholarship Fund. He has always recognized that the world’s future lies in its youth. He has been applauded many times not just for recognizing the value of youth but for doing something about it.

The international community called Jim in 1999 to take the reins of Refugees International (RI). At the time, he was under consideration to be the first ambassador to Vietnam, but he knew that RI, already a well-known and effective organization working to end the conditions that create displacement, was in need of a strong, outcome-oriented person, and he accepted its chairmanship. RI’s independence, flexibility, and uncompromising rights-based approach to generating lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection for displaced people around the world were right up Jim’s alley. Its Board of Commissioners provided access to leaders and the ability to assist in raising awareness and resources for critical humanitarian issues. Jim’s tenure as chairman involved meetings with numerous international leaders. With his experience as the founder of AOL, he fit right in with the other distinguished commissioners such as Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordon, former prime minister of the Netherlands Willem Kok, and former minister of defense of the UK Michael Portillo. RI efforts to publicize the global scourge of landmines received worldwide recognition. Jim is now Chairman Emeritus of RI and still very much involved in its efforts.

In 2000, as an international and business leader, Jim traveled with President Clinton to Vietnam in the role of unofficial presidential counselor. On a similar trip to Colombia, while President Clinton attended trade talks, Jim conducted a meeting with Manual Maralunda, chief of the powerful Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), known for earning huge profits from illegal drug trafficking and kidnapping. This discussion between Jim and Maralunda boosted fledgling peace talks in the area.

In May 2001, Jim was asked to chair the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) by then Secretary of State Colin Powell. The ICMP, created as a result of the G-7 Summit in Lyon, France, has the mission to deal with the issue of persons missing as a result of various conflicts in the Balkans. Jim brought to this new leadership challenge and complicated international environment the same intellect, energy and organizational acumen with which he had built AOL. He reviewed ICMP’s internal structure and procedures, breaking them down into smaller parts and recommending changes where they were needed, and emphasized getting the organization’s innovative DNA technology working on known projects. He and the other commissioners negotiated with Balkan leaders—and he personally challenged them to cooperate—to resolve differences that had prevented ICMP from beginning work. Although focused on the Balkans, the ICMP had developed world-class DNA and forensic services to map and identify mass casualties. Soon after the terrorist attack on the U.S. homeland on September 11, 2001, Jim made sure that ICMP assets assisted in the recovery of the remains of those who had perished in the World Trade Center. ICMP experts also advised Louisiana health officials on the use of DNA methodology to identify unknown Hurricane Katrina victims. The work of the commission was also used in support of tsunami victims in Southeast Asia. By 2004, Jim Kimsey was one of the go-to guys who made things happen in the international community.

Nationally, Jim supports many veterans’ projects, including the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Fund, where he is chairman of its corporate council. Jan Scruggs, chairman of the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Fund, noted that Jim is “most supportive of our Vietnam Veterans and their needs—beyond brick and mortar.” Jim gave his time and talent to help enact legislation, passed by Congress in 2003, for the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Center. His speeches about duty, honor, and country at the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial are always enthusiastically received. Most recently, he testified on Capitol Hill in support of HR 1442, the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Visitor Center Act, to ensure the committee understood the continuing need to teach the children of America about the Vietnam War.

Jim was recently appointed by President Bush to a second term as a member of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. He has made multimillion-dollar donations to the Center, including one of the largest it has ever received. (Part of his donation to the Kennedy Center included offering District of Columbia fifth-graders the opportunity to attend a performance.) He is chairman of the board of the Washington Opera and a member of the board of the National Symphony Orchestra. In most circles, philanthropy is the sharing of time, talent, and treasure for the common good. Jim has done much more—he has pursued a path of quiet philanthropy and humanitarian support, his efforts largely unknown except by those organizations that benefit from his patronage.

As might be expected, Jim is a member of multiple boards, including the International Crisis Group, the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, and Business Executives for National Security, among others. Over the years he has been recognized for his leadership in the business community as well as for his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts. A list of his achievements is enclosed.

West Point

West Point has been a great recipient of Jim Kimsey’s patronage. According to Jack Hammack, ‘49 former President of the Association of Graduates, Jim “has been generous with his support of West Point and its graduates in recruiting other donors and sponsors for West Point. He has been a strong supporter of West Point’s facility and athletic programs. He was extremely supportive of West Point activities during the Bicentennial Campaign.” Jim donated funds to build the Kimsey Athletic Center. Without a doubt, his support of the new athletic center and its premier training facilities has made it possible for a new generation of athletes to be recruited to the Military Academy. Among other programs that support the cadets, Jim assisted in the development of the successful Combating Terrorism Center. President Bush recently appointed him as a member of the Board of Visitors.

Summary

The Class of 1962 is proud to submit this nomination of Jim Kimsey. It is rare that one person gets a chance to make a difference in the world in so many areas; Jim is such a person. His no-nonsense approach has led to solutions for some of the international community’s seemingly unsolvable problems. His management skills created one of the world’s leading Internet firms. He has brokered international agreements; served with distinction in prestigious international positions; improved educational opportunities for youth in his home town; been a spokesperson for veterans and their programs; and made West Point a better, stronger place for growing future leaders.

We strongly recommend that West Point change his designation from “noteworthy graduate” to “Distinguished Graduate.”

With greatest respect,

His Classmates

USMA – Class of 1962

Enclosures

a.       Biography of James V. Kimsey

b.      Awards

c.       Letter from Jan Scruggs, Chairman, Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Fund

d.      Letter from Jack Hammack, ’49, former Chairman, Association of Graduates

e.       Letter from Sidney Goldberg, Civilian Aide to Secretary of the Army

f.        Letter from Senator Jack Reed, ’71, United States Senate

g.       Letter from Alexander Haig, ’47. former Secretary of State, president, United Technologies

h.       Letter from Senator Bob Dole, United States Senate

i.         Letter from General Colin Powell, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State, TBD

j.        Letter from LTG Dan Christman, ‘65 former Superintendent

k.      Letter from Tom Dyer, ’67, former Chairman, Association of Graduates

l.         Letter from West Point Society of Washington, DC