Dr. Larry Donnithorne has spoken on the subjects of leadership and ethics to hundreds of audiences and thousands of people over many years. He first came to the People’s Republic of China in 1981, and he gave his first talks on the West Point Way of Leadership in Taiwan in 2006 and in PR China in 2007. Since then he has spoken to many Chinese audiences, including major corporations, universities, and the National Training Center for Mayors.
Although Dr. Donnithorne was the first member of his family ever to attend college, he is grateful to have received a fine university education. His higher education started with a bachelor’s degree at the United States Military Academy located at West Point, New York. The United States Army later sent him to Stanford University, where he completed two masters degrees in Economics and Civil Engineering. Later, Dr. Donnithorne joined the faculty at West Point, and he was sent to Harvard University to complete his doctor’s degree in education.
Before returning to the faculty at West Point, Dr. Donnithorne served in the United States Army in the Republic of Vietnam. There he commanded a company of 150 US Army engineer soldiers in combat and was described by Major General Willard Roper as “one of the finest combat engineer company commanders in Vietnam.” He was later selected to command a battalion of army engineers, but instead he was sent to West Point to serve on the faculty there.
While serving on the faculty at West Point, Dr. Donnithorne was asked by the Superintendent, Lieutenant General Dave Palmer, to coordinate a major project for the Superintendent to improve the leadership development and character development programs of West Point. As a result of that project, Dr. Donnithorne was asked by a major US book publisher to write a book about West Point leadership development. That book, The West Point Way of Leadership, has been translated into several languages including Chinese.
Dr. Donnithorne has expressed his great love for China and its people, and he is grateful for every opportunity he is given to contribute to the development of effective leaders for China.
