Wright State University Speakers’ Biographies

Major General Dennis J. Laich (Ret.)

Major General Dennis Laich was commissioned through Army ROTC at Lafayette College, Easton Pennsylvania, in 1971. He served in a variety of command and staff assignments primarily in Military Police, Transportation, and logistics units. The last 14 consecutive years of his 35 years of service were in command positions at the full Colonel through two star level including joint command, culminating in command of the 94th Regional Readiness Command at Fort Devens, Massachusetts.

He is a graduate of the US Army War College, the Command and General Staff College, and the Program for National and International Security Studies at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. His civilian education includes a bachelors degree from Lafayette College and masters degrees from West Virginia University and Saint Francis University. His military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Joint Meritorious Service Medal.

Major General Laich's civilian career was spent in manufacturing and finance assignments as president, chief operating officer, and plant manager with several large and mid-cap private and publicaly held companies. Major General Laich, and his wife Colleen, live in Columbus, Ohio, and have two grown children.

Major General Laich is a member of SLDN's Military Advisory Council. His personal blog can be found here.

Joseph Gibbons

Joseph is a 22-year-old sophomore at Wright State University, majoring in Rehabilitation Services. A Navy veteran, he was a SONAR Technician on surface ships from 2007 to 2010 in San Diego and Yokosuka, Japan. Joseph expects to graduate in the spring of 2012, after which he plans to work with persons with physical disabilities or hearing impairment.

Laura Taylor

Laura Taylor is a senior at Wright State University and will graduate in June 2011 with a BS in Psychology. She served for 5 years in the Army (2000-2005) as a military intelligence specialist, stationed at an Aviation Headquarters unit in Yongsan, Korea and US Southern Command in Miami, FL. After graduation, she plans to return to government work as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst.