LEXINGTON, Va. Oct. 8, 2024 — Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Army Capt. Florent "Flo" Groberg will speak at Virginia Military Institute on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. in Cameron Hall. His talk will conclude the 15^th annual Leadership and Ethics Conference, themed "Leading into the Future." Groberg's address is part of the prestigious H.B. Johnson Jr., Class of 1926, Distinguished Lecture Series, a collaboration between VMI's Office of the Dean of the Faculty and the Center for Leadership and Ethics (CLE). The event is free and open to the public, with doors opening at 1:45 p.m.  

A celebrated American hero, Groberg's life story embodies courage, resilience, and leadership. Born in France and later becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, Groberg earned a bachelor's degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland. Eager to serve his new nation and answer the call after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he joined the Army in 2008 as an infantry officer. He was deployed twice to Afghanistan, first in 2009 with Task Force L and again in 2012 with Task Force Mountain Warrior.

During his second deployment, Aug. 8, 2012, Groberg was serving as a security detachment commander when he identified a suicide bomber. Groberg’s extraordinary bravery resulted in minimal impact on the formation, saving the lives of his fellow soldiers and several senior leaders. Groberg was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor, for his actions. 

The attack left Groberg with severe injuries, including the loss of nearly half of his left calf muscle, nerve damage, a blown eardrum, and a traumatic brain injury. Following three years of recovery, Groberg was medically retired in 2015. Today, he serves as vice president at AE Industrial Partners within the firm’s Portfolio Strategy and Optimization Group, continuing to demonstrate resilience and leadership in the private sector. 

"In today’s rapidly changing environment, driven by workforce transformations and technological advancements, individuals and organizations must embody resilience to succeed," said Col. David Gray, executive director of the CLE. "Groberg’s story of perseverance, through and after his military service, will inspire future leaders across various industries." 

Conference attendees will also be able to purchase Groberg’s memoir, “8 Seconds of Courage,” with a book signing to follow his address. 

While registration is not required for Groberg’s keynote, the public may register to attend the entire two-day leadership conference Oct. 28-29 held in Marshall Hall, by visiting VMI's Leadership Conference website at vmileadconf.cventevents.com.

While the conference is designed for college students who will be our future leaders, this event also appeals to adult life-long learners.  Staying true to the theme, attendees will explore leadership across generations, adaptability, and vision in guiding organizations through technological advancements and fostering personal and team resilience. Subject-matter experts, small group discussions, and interactive exercises will illuminate valuable insights into values-based and ethical decision-making by leaders at all levels.

The conference will feature a diverse lineup of keynote speakers and interactive activities including futurist and global inclusion thought leader, Raven Solomon; entrepreneur, educator, and author, Michelle Ray; and Dr. Ben Freakley, founder of Ready. Set. Resilient. and mental performance coach to professional sports teams and special operations forces, who will be joined by Dr. Tyler McDaniel, an Air Force psychologist who has also worked with elite teams. Their interactive session will run in the Corps Physical Training Facility, testing multiple leadership values against hands-on challenges.

Finally, participants will examine the various benefits and concerns of artificial intelligence (AI). They will get to interact with an AI game to explore and assess team performance and then explore the ethical use of AI.

For more information about the event, contact Lt. Col. Kim Connolly, assistant director for conferences and programs at the CLE, at connollykv@vmi.edu.  

Maj. Catherine M. Roy
Communications and Marketing Manager, Center For Leadership and Ethics
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE