|
|
Lieutenant General (Ret.) David J. Furness is a highly accomplished executive with a distinguished record of leadership and accomplishments in the United Sates Marine Corps. He brings invaluable expertise in strategic planning, program management, and government affairs.
Throughout his tenure, he built an impeccable reputation as a collaborator who seeks diverse points of view and can synthesize complex information and data to drive decision-making to achieve consensus among divergent perspectives. David is known for inspiring individuals and teams to achieve optimal results in high-pressure, dynamic environments. He has managed organizations up to 17,000, and assets up to $2.3B. Most recently, LtGen(ret) Furness served as Chief Operations Officer of the Marine Corps, holding the title of Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations at the Pentagon; representing the Commandant to the Joint Staff, Secretary of Defense. and Congress. In this role he was responsible for synchronizing operations and global deployments of 200,000 Marines. In his previous role as Commanding General of Second Marine Division, David was entrusted to carry out world-wide security obligations and engagements with his Marines and sailors. As a division commander, he managed over $2B in assets and executed the largest Marine Corps training exercise in over 40 years. He also pioneered a peer-to-peer personal counseling program that reduced suicide and suicide attempts by 66% in just 18 months. Stationed in Djibouti from 2017 to 2018, LtGen (ret) Furness commanded a multinational joint task force focused on counterterrorism, regional security, and strategic relationships across 11 countries. He introduced process improvements which brought $2M in monthly savings and elevated aircraft utilization rates to 90% which delivered another $12.78M in savings. In his prior role as Legislative Assistant to the Commandant, he served as Marine Corps liaison to both Chambers of Congress, advocating for funding while navigating new Budget Control Act restrictions and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. A lifelong learner and proponent of education, David created curriculum and delivered training to organizations of up to 17,000, led a flagship professional military education program, and pioneered a two-year Master of Public Policy program with George Mason University. LtGen (ret) Furness holds a master’s degree in national security studies from the National War College, a master’s degree in military studies from the Marine Corps University, and a Bachelor of Arts in history, with honors, from Virginia Military Institute. David resides in Tampa, Florida. He is married and the father of four children. When he’s not on official business, he enjoys spending time with his family, participating in fitness and outdoor activities, traveling, and studying military history. |