Lieutenant General Joe N. Ballard, US Army (Retired)
President and Chief Executive Officer

The Ravens Group, LLC

LTG Ballard is the President of BTI Construction & Supply, LLC, the corporate solution strategically designed to address international construction and supply needs, especially within emerging markets. BTI Construction & Supply is a subsidiary of The Ravens Group that is a full-function marketing, business development and consulting company. Both entities are located in Lanham, MD. Within a relatively short period of time, LTG Ballard has skillfully guided the rapid growth of the companies and helped to significantly increase business growth for its clients and business partners. He has facilitated numerous business development opportunities with several amounting to over $20 million each in gross value.

His last military assignment was as the 49th Chief of Engineers and Commander, United States Army Corps of Engineers. The President of the United States appointed him to this prestigious position in 1996. In that capacity, LTG Ballard managed all missions for the Corps of Engineers including the nation's vast civil works program, environmental restoration and construction on military installations. His strong leadership guided the Corps in assisting the US recovery from several natural disasters, regulating work in the nation's waterways and wetlands, conducting research and development, serving as the Army and Air Force real estate agent, and providing engineering services to 60 federal agencies and more than 80 nations.

Prior to his appointment as Chief of Engineers, LTG Ballard was the Chief of Staff for the US Army Training and Doctrine Command. As such, he was responsible for headquarters and installation operations, training and budget management for over twenty major training and operational bases throughout the United States. Immediately before being selected as Chief of Staff, he served as the Commander of the US Army Engineer Center & Fort Leonard Wood in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. In that role he was the Army's engineer proponent for combat and combat support systems, training and doctrinal matters.

LTG Ballard earlier commanded the 18th Engineer Brigade in Germany that at the time was the Army's largest and most experienced combat, construction and topographic engineer troop unit. Additionally, he commanded the 82nd Combat Engineer Battalion also located in Germany. He served two combat tours in Viet Nam.

LTG Ballard's military honors include the Distinguished Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (three awards), Bronze Star Medal (two awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards).

He graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, and was immediately commissioned into the Army Corps of Engineers. He later earned a Master's Degree in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri. He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. He is a registered professional engineer in civil engineering. He holds a number of honorary degrees, including an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo., an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering Degree from the University of Missouri in Rolla, Mo., and an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA.

In addition to his military honors, the Council of Deans of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Career Communications Group recognized him as the 1998 Black Engineer of the Year. He was also the 1998-1999 president of the Society of American Military Engineers and a member of the National Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi.