A member of the Trinity class of 1972, Rear Admiral Michael Stewart O’Bryan has distinguished himself among the top leaders in the United States Military.

Having graduated from the University of Louisville with a bachelor’s degree, Rear Admiral O’Bryan was commissioned in the U.S. Navy on May 13, 1978, through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Here his service to our country began. Additionally, he completed the Navy Command and Staff curriculum in May 1992 at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., and earned a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Study.

His previous sea duty assignments include Repair Division Officer and Repairs Officer aboard the USS Saratoga (CV 60); Engineer Officer, USS Gallery (FFG 26); Engineer Officer, USS Tattnall (DDG 19); Commanding Officer, USS Excel (MSO 439); Commanding Officer, USS Esteem (MSO 438), forward-deployed to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Earnest Will; Commanding Officer, USS Gallant (MSO 489); Commanding Officer, USS Cole (DDG 67); and Commander Destroyer Squadron 22, forward-deployed as Sea Combat Commander (SCC), Harry S. Truman CSG; Commander Task Group 55.6 in the Red Sea in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and Chief of Staff, U.S. Sixth Fleet, home-ported in Gaeta, Italy. Rear Admiral O’Bryan served as Commander, Carrier Strike Group Three and Commander, John C. Stennis Strike Group from September 2007 to September 2008.

Rear Admiral O’Bryan’s previous shore assignments include Navy Recruiter Officer Programs in Naval District Four; Export Control and National Defense Policy Action Officer in the Joint Staff J-5, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate; Executive Assistant for the Joint Staff Deputy Director for International Negotiations; Executive Assistant for the Deputy and Chief of Staff, Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Requirements Officer Theater Air Warfare Branch (N765J), Surface Warfare Directorate, Chief of Naval Operations; Requirements Branch Head (N00M1), Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Missile Defense; Executive Assistant to the Commander Naval Forces Europe in Naples, Italy; Director, Standing Joint Force Headquarters, U.S. Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia; and Director, Navy Maritime Domain Awareness, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C.; Commander, Navy Air and Missile Defense Command, Dahlgren, Virginia.

Stewart is currently a consultant and council member with New York-based Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG), the world’s leading platform for on-demand professional consultants. He retired from the Navy in 2012 and returned to Louisville. He and his wife, Stacy, have their three children and nine grandchildren who attend Sacred Heart, St. Patrick and St. Mary Academy. Stewart and Stacy are members of St. Bernadette Catholic Church.

O - Hall of Fame

Rear Admiral Michael Stewart O'Bryan

Rear Admiral Michael Stewart O'Bryan

William O'Connell, Jr.

Nick Osting

Brian V. Otero