The Honorable John Phelan served as the 79th Secretary of the Navy, overseeing nearly one million Sailors, Marines, reservists, and civilian personnel with an annual budget of over $300 billion. His priorities included strengthening shipbuilding and the maritime industrial base, fostering a warfighting culture, and improving the health, welfare, and training of the force. Following his government service, John returned as Founder and Chairman of Rugger Management, LLC, a private investment firm in Palm Beach, Florida. He previously Co-founded MSD Capital, L.P., the private investment firm for Michael Dell, and MSD Partners, L.P., a SEC-registered investment adviser. The firms under his leadership generated double-digit net returns, over $20 billion in profits, and growth to more than $30 billion in assets under management. John holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, cum laude with distinction from SMU with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science. He also holds a General Course degree in Economics and International Relations from LSE. He has served on the boards of the Third Option Foundation (Chairman), Spirit of America, the Aspen Art Museum (Chairman), and the Whitney Museum of American Art. A dedicated supporter of his alma maters, John received SMU’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2022. He and his wife Amy have permanently endowed free admission to the Aspen Art Museum and named the Phelan U.S. Centre at LSE.
