Tom Connally

Founder & President

Tom Connally

Raised in a Navy family with two WWII Veterans for parents, Tom Connally became a student of leaders at a young age. He followed his older brothers to the Naval Academy and into the Marine Corps. As a young officer, he observed that the performance of units was directly related to the culture, the esprit and work ethic. The best units, including his, had an attitude of confidence that made every objective attainable and in which every Marine believed they were valued and desired to excel. This culture of performance permeated every individual and started with the commander.

The relationship of the leader to the mission and the organization created a tangible result in the culture. Understanding these relationships became clearer with succeeding assignments. Recruiting Duty illuminated the principle that congruity of a leader’s values, goals, and performance create maximum effectiveness. As a senior staff officer and commander, Tom recognized that aligning organizational values and goals established an effective strategy. Furthermore, organizational effectiveness improved when adequately structured for the mission with the appropriate leaders in charge of each division, section, or subordinate unit.

As a senior commander and chief staff officer, Tom put all of these lessons to work with exceptional results in combat organizations and staff agencies. After 30 years of applying these principles in the Marine Corps, Tom spent five years observing their consistent results in the defense industry before starting his endeavor to help leaders and organizations improve their performance and success

Career Summary

Tom Connally is an experienced leader, strategist, and change agent with proven performance leading, building, and fixing organizations by creating a culture of performance. In over 30 years of Marine leadership, he led organizations from 50-3500 personnel, with budgets up to $2.8B.
Leading tactical formations of artillery, infantry, and security forces including an artillery battalion conducting provisional missions in Operation Iraqi Freedom, a Headquarters Battalion in Japan, and a Security Forces Company in Iceland, he was responsible for every aspect of the mission and organization. Leading staff organizations in operations, training, human resources, and recruiting he developed goals, strategy, policy, procedures, and processes to support the highest levels of command. Leading organizations in Joint rapid acquisition, strategy, wargaming, and future force development he shaped the future force organization, missions, and strategy. As a Director for Camber Corporation and then R&M Technology Solutions, Tom developed the business strategy for the Marine Corps market, performed as a Subject Matter Expert, Technical Lead, Senior Wargame Consultant, and Project Manager for a study of Model-Based System Engineering Support to Combat Development . Tom founded Connally Consulting in March 2018.

Tom's Resume

  • Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, (w/Distinction) U. S. Naval War College, Newport, RI 2005
  • Bachelor of Science, Engineering, (w/Merit) U. S. Naval Academy 1983
  • Marine Corps Command and Staff College (DEP)                                          1999
  • Field Artillery Officers Advanced Course (Master Warfighter)                        1990
  • Field Artillery Officers Basic Course (w/Honors)                                             1984
  • The Basic School, Quantico, VA                                                                        1984
  • Director, Marine Corps Programs, R&M Technology Solutions, LLC                 2015-2017
  • Director, Marine Corps Strategic Operations, Camber Corporation               2013-2015
  • Deputy Director, Wargaming Division, MCWL                                                 2011-2013
  • Chief of Staff, Joint IED Defeat Organization                                                    2010-2011
  • Director, Strategic Vision Group                                                                        2009-2010
  • Commanding Officer, Headquarters Battalion, 3d MarDiv                              2007-2009
  • Force Fires Coordinator, III MEF                                                                        2006-2007
  • CNO Fellow, CNO Strategic Studies Group, Newport                                    2005-2006
  • Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines (OIF II-1)[1]                      2003-2004
  • Strategic Analyst, Strategic Initiatives Group, PP&O, HQMC[2]                      2001-2003
  • Training Officer/Senior Watch Officer, G-3, 1st MarDiv                                  2000-2001
  • Operations Officer, 11th Marines, 1st MarDiv                                                   1999-2000
  • Executive Officer, 5th Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st MarDiv                                1998-1999
  • Commanding Officer, MCSF Co. Keflavik/Joint Security Force CMDR[3]         1996-1998
  • Head, Enlisted Career Counseling/Performance Evaluation (MMEA-64)          1993-1996                  
  • Director, 11th Marines Artillery Training School, 1st MarDiv                               1992-1993                  
  • Commanding Officer, Battery C, 1st Bn, 11th Marines                                        1991-1992
  • Fire Direction Officer/Asst S-3, 11th Marines (Desert Shield/Storm)                  1990-1991
  • Ops Officer/Officer Selection Officer, RS Des Moines, Ia.                                  1987-1990
  • XO, FDO, LNO, Plt Cdr Battery N, 5th Bn, 10th Marines, 2d MarDiv                 1984-1987
  • Becoming a Leader: A Road Map for My Daughter and the Aspiring Leader (Stafford, Va. 2019), Thomas J. Connally
  • Future Maritime Operations Plans for the 21st – Century Operating Environment, Thomas Connally; Jeff Wong; Marine Corps Gazette, May2013, pg. 77
  • Lima 2, Thomas J. Connally; Marine Corps Gazette, August 2009, pg.54
  • Leaving the Tubes at Home, Thomas J. Connally; Lance A McDaniel; Marine Corps Gazette, October 2005, pg. 31
  • U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association
  • Marine Corps Association and Foundation
  • The Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Innocents and St. Nina Equal to the Apostles, Bristow, Va.