Robert H. Foglesong

General Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong (USAF, Ret.) (born July 13, 1945), formerly of Williamson, West Virginia, is a former President of Mississippi State University. He served in the United States Air Force from April 1972 until retirement as general in February 2006. He currently sits on the board of directors of several corporations and is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.

Education
Foglesong earned the degrees BSc, MSc and PhD at West Virginia University in chemical engineering in 1968, 1969 and 1971 respectively. He holds an honorary Doctorate in Strategic Intelligence, and is a Distinguished Alumnus of West Virginia University. He was selected by the West Virginia Education Alliance as a Graduate of Distinction, and was selected by the West Virginia Executive Magazine as the Patriot of the Year for 2005.

Air Force career
Foglesong attained the rank of four-star general in the United States Air Force 5 November 2001, retiring 1 February 2006 from active duty after 33 years of service. His last post was as Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and of Allied Air Component Command Ramstein where the service's enlisted corps honored him for his unwavering commitment to Airmen with the Order of the Sword. General Foglesong commanded six times during his Air Force service including flying and maintenance units, a Numbered Air Force, and a Major Command. During his final command, General Foglesong continued his established model of using multiple "Combat" programs throughout his command to focus on military discipline and service standards including facilities maintenance, physical readiness, and leadership and mentoring. Some Airmen chaffed under these "Combat" Programs as they struggled to meet the demands of being in the military while others saw merit and value in the renewed emphasis on pride, espirit, and mission. Shortly after his retirement, his successor led an effort to continue and reshape the focus begun under Foglesong delegating responsibility for 10 of the programs to base and wing commanders.

After retirement
Foglesong was President of Mississippi State University from 2006 to 31 March 2008. Foglesong was the second retired general to hold the office of president at the university; Stephen D. Lee was the first. Foglesong tackled a number of competing internal and external agendas that he saw as undermining the school's purpose of delivering a quality education to its students. He resigned rather than acquiesce to the practices and requests of political interests and individuals that derailed his successor who departed under investigation. During his tenure, Foglesong reenergized the university, leading a 6% rise in enrollment from 16,206 when he arrived in 2006 to a then all-time high of 17127 in 2008. Foglesong launched successful initiatives including an innovative leadership development program. He also oversaw a significant improvement to the school's facilitites and grounds saving longstanding traditional landscaping during a severe drought including daffodil bulbs from donated plants which had been on the campus for decades. He heads a scholarship program in West Virginia called the Appalachian Leadership and Educational Foundation, which he founded in 2006. He helped to establish the Appalachian Leadership Honors Program. in 2006. He has also served as a director of Massey Energy, a major coal company.