WPAOG Podcast

In this episode of the WPAOG Podcast, we sit down with Mark Bieger, President and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, member of the Class of 1991, and West Point parent. From his early leadership development as a cadet to commanding troops in combat and now leading one of the Academy’s most mission-driven organizations, Bieger shares thoughtful reflections on service, connection, and building community across generations of West Point graduates. His leadership journey underscores a profound respect for tradition and a clear-eyed vision for innovation and impact. Bieger’s path is rooted in nearly 29 years of service in the U.S. Army, where he commanded at every level from platoon to brigade including combat operations in Iraq. He later brought his strategic acumen to higher education, serving in senior leadership roles at the University of South Carolina and Louisiana State University. Now, as CEO of WPAOG, he leads with a commitment to transparency, mission alignment, and serving both the Academy and the Long Gray Line. His approach blends operational excellence with deep empathy and an unwavering belief in the power of connection. Listeners will gain insight into how Bieger balances tradition with innovation, how AOG programs are creating powerful generational bonds, and how the organization defines success through the eyes of its graduates. This episode is a must-listen for leaders in nonprofit strategy, alumni engagement, and anyone who values mission-first leadership grounded in service. -- Key Quote: “ My one request of our graduates, that I repeat over and over, is to be connected. Connect with your classmates, if you haven't in years, connect, reconnect, strengthen that bond that exists in the class. Connect with your alma mater. Connect with our great Academy. And then in whatever way inspires you, connect with your Association. I think those connections will be rewarding, they'll make you feel really good about the path that you've been on, and it will inspire you for thoughts about what to do in the future.” -Mark Bieger, WPAOG President & CEO -- Episode Timestamps: * (00:53) West Point Association of Graduates: Mission and Vision * (03:18) Defining Success and Leadership Principles * (07:11) Balancing Tradition with Innovation * (12:54) Supporting the Academy and Developing Leaders * (17:22) Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement * (23:38) Encouraging Connections and Final Thoughts -- LINKS: Connect with Mark [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-bieger/] Learn More about WPAOG [https://www.westpointaog.org/]

In this episode of the WPAOG Podcast, we sit down with Kathleen Widmer, class of 1983, and a 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award honoree. From helping launch the Women’s Lacrosse team as a cadet to leading in both the military and private sector, Widmer shares powerful stories of perseverance, leadership, and service. Her journey reflects a deep commitment to others and a belief that real leadership starts with humility and humanity.   Widmer’s path is defined by lifelong service and standout leadership — from breaking barriers as one of West Point’s early women graduates and a pioneering field artillery battery commander, to shaping healthcare access as a senior executive at Johnson & Johnson. She was instrumental in forming the Women’s Lacrosse Team at the Academy, led veteran hiring programs in corporate America, and helped restore the Wounded Warrior Project as board chair. Through it all, she’s remained a committed supporter of West Point, exemplifying the values of the Long Gray Line across every chapter of her life.   Listeners will gain insight into how West Point prepared her for command and crisis leadership, how she led teams through the pandemic and major corporate transformations, and why she believes the most effective leaders lead with their humanity. This episode is a must-listen for professionals, leaders, and cadets who want to learn what it truly means to lead with impact. -- Key Quote: “ The other thing that West Point really did for me that helped me in industry is you build stamina at West Point. You don't get to opt out of hard stuff. You have to do everything. You have to get up every day early. You have to follow a schedule that puts too many things in front of you to do, then you can actually accomplish, and you have to filter all the time what's important and focus on those things. And, you know, being a senior leader in industry is the same. If you try to do everything instead of prioritizing and filtering, and figuring out. What's important, you, you just sort of run yourself in circles. And honestly, don't accomplish much. But there's a, there's a stamina that you build at West Point, and it's the same kind of stamina that I think you have to have in industry to be, every 30 minutes somebody's giving you dense, complex information that you need to make a decision about. And then 30 minutes later, it's a completely different topic, and they're doing the same thing. And then it's the next 30 minutes, and it's sort of like you need to train for it, and West Point prepares you for that.” -- Episode Timestamps: * (00:50) Following the Family Tradition and Decision to Attend West Point * (03:51) Kathleen’s First Days at West Point * (08:00) Founding of the Army Women's Lacrosse Team * (15:24) Leadership Lessons from West Point * (19:07) Transition to Civilian Career and Leadership in Industry * (33:09) Advice for Current Cadets – LINKS: Connect with Kathleen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-widmer/] View all of the 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award Nominees   [https://www.westpointaog.org/news/2025-distinguished-graduate-award-recipients/]

On this episode of the WPOG podcast, LTG (R) Reynold Hoover, CEO of LA28 and West Point class of 1983, unpacks the leadership, planning, and execution strategies powering the largest Olympic and Paralympic Games in history. As the CEO of LA28, the Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, Hoover oversees the planning, delivery, and execution of the Games since June of 2024. Hoover has held various senior civilian roles in the U.S. federal government and leadership positions in the U.S. military, including as a three-star Lieutenant General. He has led the United States through some of its most complex logistics operations and was awarded the highest non-combat award in the Defense Department. Hoover graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1983 and holds master’s degrees in Public and Private Management from Birmingham Southern College and in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He also received his law degree from The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. Whether you're interested in leadership, logistics, or legacy-building, this episode offers unmatched perspective into how the Olympics are evolving—and why LA28 is setting a new global benchmark. -- Key Quote: “   It is the reason I came outta retirement. And got off the couch because, on the 2nd of July, 1979, I took an oath on the plain at West Point, like many West Pointers before and after me have done. To a life of public service, and I couldn't think of a better way to capstone a career of over 35 years in uniform and another four as a cadet, so close to 40 years, to come back and unite the world around sport and unite the nation around sport and unite all of Angelenos and Southern California around sport movement.” -LTG (R) Reynold Hoover, CEO of LA28 –  EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: * (00:18) Reynold's Military Career Highlights * (02:33) Transition to LA 28 Olympics * (06:22) Challenges and Scope of LA 28 * (09:49) Applying Military Principles in Olympic Planning * (22:28)  Balancing Tradition and Innovation * (28:00) Why LA28 is “America’s Games”: – LINKS: Connect with Hoover [https://www.linkedin.com/in/reynold-hoover-a8b5a0167/] Learn more about LA28 [https://la28.org/]

In this episode, Louis Gelinas, West Point Class of ‘11, shares how his Army experiences, especially managing people and operations under pressure, shaped his entrepreneurial path. Currently, the Director of Product at  Rivet — a workforce management platform for trade contractors — was born from a simple but powerful idea: solve a real-world problem with the tools he wished he had in uniform. Louis also highlights the crucial role the West Point Entrepreneurs group played in helping Rivet navigate early challenges, secure vital connections, and ultimately hit key growth milestones. Louis studied History and Chinese before serving as an infantry officer with assignments in Italy, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Korea. After eight years on active duty — and growing his family to include four children — Louis returned home to Detroit, Michigan, to launch the next chapter of his career. Doubling down on his software development skills, he teamed up with local entrepreneurs to cofound Rivet, a workforce management platform built specifically for trade contractors. Today, as Director of Product, Louis leads a team of engineers, designers, and product managers, channeling the lessons from his Army days into building a platform designed to empower America's skilled trades workforce. Throughout the conversation, Louis talks candidly about the challenges of staying focused in the fast-paced world of startups, how West Point’s leadership lessons still guide his decision-making, and why curiosity and community are critical to entrepreneurial success. From the early days of Rivet’s scrappy beginnings to winning the confidence of investors and customers, Louis’s story is full of valuable insights for anyone looking to build something that truly serves others. Plus, we dive into how staying relentlessly mission-focused — even when things get tough — can make all the difference. - Key Quote: “  Company Commander time is really where you get the heat of like the prioritization, ideally your company commander and your battalion commander are the people who are being like, there's 10 priorities, but we're gonna be able to really make time to be good at three of them. And as a platoon leader, ideally, you get to focus on the one thing we're gonna be training on. This is gonna be our key task, this is gonna be our mission. But a big part of it is like somebody else decided to filter out the like 17 other things. The various aspects of the Army is gonna ask you to do. And that like intense focus on prioritization is like very important even as a Company Commander, is that you can kind of figure out like if you picked the right thing to focus on like not only do you succeed in your mission, but everybody's okay with the fact that you put a ‘C’ into, you know, this aspect of the third thing on the list because you did the most important thing. What is the most important thing is always gonna serve you well.” -Louis Gelinas –  EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: (01:19) Louis’ West Point Career and Transition (04:21) Founding Rivet: Inspiration and Team Formation (08:32) The Impact of West Point Entrepreneurs (14:09) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs (26:01) The Future for Rivet – LINKS: Learn more about the West Point Entrepreneurs Group [https://www.westpointaog.org/events/west-point-entrepreneurs/] Connect with Louis [https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-gelinas/] Learn more about Rivet [https://www.rivet.work/]

What does it take to be a great leader? In this episode, host Jamie Enos sits down with Lieutenant General (Ret.) Benjamin Freakley to unpack the essence of leadership, trust, and lifelong service. From his days at West Point, class of 75’,  to commanding troops in combat, General Freakley shares hard-earned wisdom on building trust, listening to those around you, and leading with integrity. He also reflects on the unbreakable bond of the Long Gray Line, the power of mentorship, and how West Point shapes leaders not just for the Army but for a lifetime of service, the tenets of being on the Long Gray Line don’t end at graduation, but serve your lifetime.  Lieutenant General Benjamin C. Freakley serves as a Professor of Practice of Leadership at Arizona State University and a Special Advisor to ASU President Michael Crow. He co-founded the ASU Leadership, Diplomacy, and National Security Lab after retiring from the U.S. Army with over 36 years of service. A graduate of West Point class of 1975 and former  Commanding General of the U.S. Army Accessions Command, he was responsible for worldwide recruiting and ROTC programs. Throughout his career, he led U.S. and international forces in combat, commanded at all levels, and played a key role in shaping future military leaders. His leadership experience spans from Operation Desert Storm to commanding forces in Afghanistan, and today, he continues to develop leaders both inside and outside the military. The conversation also dives into General Freakley’s involvement with West Point’s 50-Year Affiliate Program and why mentoring the next generation of Army officers is critical. He shares invaluable advice for young leaders navigating their first roles in the Army—emphasizing the importance of humility, trust, and learning from non-commissioned officers. Tune in to hear why leadership is a lifelong commitment, how West Point’s values endure far beyond graduation, and what it truly means to serve. Key Quote:  “ The essence of leadership of all the things we do is trust.  Women and men either trust you or they don't. In and out of combat, it always just struck me that even an arduous training, a noncommissioned officer would ask her soldiers to do something and they would do it. And I would just reflect on, you know, why are they doing this? Why are they taking this chance? Why are they doing what they're being asked to do in and out of combat, and the essence of leadership is trust. And how do you get that trust?  Integrity, competency, and getting results.  You have to be a leader of integrity. You have to live the honor code at West Point your entire life.  And women and men will follow leaders who are competent.  We don't like to waste our time. We don't like to be caught up in inefficient moments. We don't like to walk up into a complete disaster of a mess and say, ‘what's going on here.’  We like to be around people who know what they're doing, who know their stuff and, and then leaders have to get results and people want to be on a team that wins.” -LTG (R) Ben Freakley ’75 EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: (0:26) Inspiration and Early Influences (02:47) Leadership Philosophy (04:45) For our Future Leaders (10:57) How Family Can Mold Leadership (15:32) The Long Gray Line and Lifelong Service – LINKS: Learn More About Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley  [https://ldns.asu.edu/about/lieutenant-general-benjamin-c-freakley-us-army-ret]