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Lt. Shane P. Kennedy, ’14, commissioned Tony C. Pearson, Jr., ’10, into the U.S. Navy Reserve as a lieutenant through the Direct Commission Officer Program on July 31, 2014. Pearson is an associate general counsel at Indiana University Health, and since his commissioning is now a Medical Service Corps Officer, working as a healthcare administrator for the Navy Reserve.

(Lt. Kennedy is at left in the photo, and Pearson is at right.)

It’s a logical next step in Pearson’s goal of making the most of his leadership skills. As a young man growing up in Ormond Beach, Florida, Pearson remembers how involved his father was in the life of his family and the community, while working hard to build his career.

“I came to realize that was his way of serving our family,” Pearson said, recalling the impact that his father had on him as he grew up. “When you put others first, there’s an element of leadership to that.” Joining the Navy Reserve is something Pearson has been considering for a while; he’s had a few family members who were in the armed services.

“For me, I saw the Navy as another opportunity to serve and lead,” Pearson said, “to be more centrally involved in the delivery of healthcare services.” Pearson also feels that this will be an excellent opportunity for growth, complementing his background in government affairs and healthcare management.

Pearson has previously served as a precinct committeeman, a ward chairperson, as a board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, and the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center. He presently is on the board for the Indianapolis Department of Code Enforcement, and is an executive committee member of the IU McKinney Alumni Association.

Pearson’s commissioning happened the day after Lt. Kennedy completed the Indiana bar exam. No time off, even after the bar exam, for this career military serviceman. Lt. Kennedy enlisted in the U.S. Army right after high school, and stayed with his military training throughout his undergraduate years at IU in Bloomington. The Army didn’t have the training program he wanted, so he transferred to the U.S. Air Force and commuted to Terre Haute while continuing his studies at the Kelley School of Business in Bloomington. He transferred to the Navy Reserve to again find the training he wanted, and will complete his military service as a Navy officer.

“I want to be an entrepreneur,” Lt. Kennedy says of his future plans. “I know knowledge of the law will help me with that.” He owns a small real estate company, and he plans to take over his father’s trucking company when he’s done with his active duty military service in a year and a half. “Once I have that down, I’ll venture into other projects.”