Findlay, Ohio, April 23, 2003 — Gordon England, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will be the keynote speaker when The University of Findlay holds commencement exercises on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. in the Malcolm Athletic Center, Koehler Fitness and Recreation Complex.

England will also receive an honorary doctor of public administration degree during the ceremony.

England was confirmed as the first Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Jan. 30, 2003, just six days after the department was established to integrate 22 different agencies with a common mission to protect the American people.

Previously, England served as the 72nd Secretary of the Navy from May 2001 until his confirmation. In this position, he was responsible for an annual budget in excess of $100 billion and more than 800,000 personnel.

England served as executive vice president of General Dynamics Corporation from 1997-2001, responsible for the information systems and international sectors of the corporation. Previously, he was executive vice president of the Combat Systems Group, president of General Dynamics Fort Worth aircraft company (later Lockheed), president of General Dynamics Land Systems and the principal of a mergers and acquisitions consulting company.

A native of Baltimore, Md., England graduated from the University of Maryland in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. In 1975, he earned a master of business administration degree from Texas Christian University. He is a member of various honor societies, including Beta Gamma Sigma for business, Omicron Delta Kappa for leadership and Eta Kappa Nu for engineering.

England has been actively involved in a variety of civic, charitable and government organizations, including serving as a city councilman, vice chair of the board of Goodwill International, on the USO’s Board of Governors, on the Defense Science Board and Texas Christian University’s Board of Visitors.

He has been recognized for numerous professional and service contributions, including receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Maryland, the Distinguished Public Service Award from the Department of Defense, the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of American, the Silver Knight of Management Award from the National Management Association, the Henry M. Jackson Award and the IEEE Centennial Award.

At commencement, the University will confer 820 graduate and undergraduate degrees.

A total of 316 graduate degrees will be awarded. These include 111 master of business administration degrees, 67 master of arts in education degrees, 47 master of physical therapy degrees, 37 master of occupational therapy degrees, 33 master of science in environmental, safety and health management degrees, 15 master of TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) and bilingual education degrees and six master of arts in liberal studies degrees.

A total of 504 undergraduate degrees will be conferred, including 309 bachelor of science degrees, 75 bachelor of arts degrees, 45 bachelor of science in business management degrees, four bachelor of science in environmental management degrees, two bachelor of science in criminal justice degrees and 69 associate of arts degrees.