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Distinguished Alumnus Award

Joshua SullivanJosh Sullivan has been an outstanding leader of others for his entire life. Josh was both an inspirational teammate and classmate to all of his LHS peers, always displaying the utmost character, work ethic, and competitive spirit throughout his time at LHS. He graduated in 1999 from Liberty High School where he played football, baseball, and powerlifting. Immediately after playing in the baseball state championship game, Josh reported to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Graduating with a B.S. in 2003, Josh began his pilot training, where he eventually served as an AC-130 gunship pilot in Air Force Special Operations Command. After serving in multiple combat tours with our nation's most elite special operators, Colonel Sullivan's final assignment was as the Commanding Officer of the San Jose State University Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. His Air Force bio, as well as his promotion dates, commendations, and deployments are as follows:

 

Colonel Joshua S. Sullivan's final assignment in the Air Force was as Commander, Detachment 045, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Air Education and Training Command, San Jose State University, California. AFROTC Detachment 045 serves to develop leaders of tomorrow who will go on to fulfill the Air Force mission to fly, fight, and win, represent our core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. Colonel Sullivan was commissioned in the Air Force through the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2003. During his almost 22 years of commissioned service he has achieved Command Pilot rating with over 2,800 hours in the T-34C, T-44A, C-130E/H3, MC-130W, and AC-130W and has flown multiple combat missions in South America, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. He was awarded his fifth Air Medal with Valor providing Close Air Support protecting Special Operations Forces from base attack, resulting in over 100 enemy killed in action and saving 72 American service members. Colonel Sullivan has held a multitude of leadership positions which include Expeditionary Squadron Commander, Detachment Commander, evaluator pilot, squadron Director of Staff, squadron Flight Commander, Chief of Group Training Assistant Operations Officer, and AFSOC Deputy Division Chief.

 

EDUCATION

2003 Baccalaureate of Science degree in Behavioral Science, USAFA, CO 2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL

2011 Master of Counseling, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

2013 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence

2019 Air War College, Correspondence

 

ASSIGNMENTS

1. October 2003 – August 2004, Pilot Student T-34C; Training Squadron 3, Whiting Field Naval Air Station, FL

2. August 2004 – March 2005, Pilot Student T-44A; Training Squadron 31, Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, TX

3. March 2005 – September 2008, C-130E Pilot, Central Scheduling Officer; 61st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, AR

4. September 2008 – June 2010, MC-130W Pilot, Flight Commander; 73rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM

5. June 2010 – Dec 2011, MC-130W Aircraft Commander, Chief of Group Training; 27th Special Operations Support Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM

6. Dec 2011 – September 2013, AC-130W Instructor Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations; 73rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM

7. September 2013 – August 2016; AC-130W Evaluator Pilot, Director of Staff, 551st Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM

8. August 2016 – May 2017, AC-130 Evaluator Pilot, Chief, Training & Education Support Division, Air Force Special Air Warfare Center, Hurlburt Field, FL

9. May 2017 – July 2018; AC-130W Evaluator Pilot, Chief, Standardizations & Evaluations, 492nd Special Operations Training Group, Hurlburt Field, FL

10. July 2018 – July 2020; Deputy Chief, Operations Training Division, Headquarter A3, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt, Field, FL

11. July 2020 – July 2024: Commander, AFROTC Detachment 045, San Jose State University, CA

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot

Flight Hours: over 2,800

Aircraft Flown: T-34C, T-44A, C-130E, MC-130W, AC-130W

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit

Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with Valor with five oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Army Commendation Medal

Joint Service Achievement Medal Combat Action Medal

Operation Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with one campaign star

Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars

Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars

Air Force Expeditionary Service with Gold Border

 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant May 2003

First Lieutenant May 2005

Captain May 2007

Major Sep 2013

Lieutenant Colonel Apr 2018

Colonel Sep 2024 

 

Erika TolarCareer Summary: Offering a rare blend of strategy and creative strengths, Erika's record of sales and leadership success is a result of the passion, dedication, and true leadership she brings through her focus on people, process and quality driven management principles. Her ability to build collaborative relationships with operations and across selling organizations, career development of individual contributors and sales leaders, as well as leading and inspiring others to exude that passion is what truly sets Erika apart as a top leader in the sales leadership ranks in the transportation industry and the non-profit community sector globally. After a successful collegiate campaign at Stephen F. Austin State University as a member of the Ladyjack volleyball program in SFA Athletics, SFA orientation, Leadership Honor Society and Student Government Association and graduating with a BA in Marketing in 2002, Erika started her professional career with FedEx in an entry level inside sales role with FedEx in Phoenix. She quickly progressed through the sales and sales management/leadership teams in small-to-medium business sales. In 2015 Erika transitioned over to worldwide sales and led the efforts in managing a $1B contract in the private equity vertical, engaging with the top 10 private equity firms globally to execute a complex sales strategy for FedEx growth in this niche sector. In 2018, Erika shifted to take on the leadership of revenue growth, risk mitigation, project management and leading the global strategy and team for a large, strategic global customer within the aerospace vertical at FedEx. Her expertise drove notable sales growth within the teams she had impact on while at FedEx, including business sales management, field sales management and global sales leadership. Developing strategic corporate initiatives focused on collaboration across FedEx operating companies, development of a management succession program within FedEx Services, as well as defining a go-to-market strategy for effectively managing relationships and selling to colleges and universities, were key focuses for Erika throughout her FedEx tenure. An FY19 focus for Erika was becoming a core-team lead with FedEx Women In Leadership (WIL). Furthermore, she led the FedEx Houston Community Engagement Council of cross-opco market leaders from all FedEx operating companies, which established community engagement partnerships with local organizations to create volunteer opportunities to live out the FedEx Purple Promise in the greater Houston area. In 2022, Erika made a career shift to the role of National Vice President of Sales at Forward Air Corporation where she was responsible for leading the build of a brand-new sales organization in revenue growth, new business acquisition and strategic initiative build-out to meet and exceed corporate objectives. Most recently in July 2024, Erika was recruited to the position of Senior Vice President & Head of Salesto lead the revenue generation and growth of private equity backed Imperative Logistics. Outside of Imperative Logistics, Erika also freelances as a certified conflict resolution manager (CRM) and consultant for small business start-ups.

Awards & Accomplishments: Erika’s most notable accomplishments in her professional career include being awarded the FedEx Five Star Award twice (FY08 and FY20, respectively), recognizing the top 1% of all professionals within FedEx Corporation for their ability to innovate, collaborate, and improve efficiency or profitability for FedEx. It is the highest honor that can be awarded to an individual at FedEx. For her heroic efforts during Hurricane Harvey in the greater Houston market in 2017, Erika was also awarded the prestigious FedEx Humanitarian Award, which recognizes employees who promote human welfare, particularly in life threatening situations, above-and-beyond community responsibility. In 2017, Erika also became the first female in the sales organization at FedEx (10,000+ team members) to become a Quality Driven Management (QDM) Expert (ASQ Certification), a true accomplishment that speaks to her commitment to quality and excellence in leadership and delivering results. In late 2019, Erika was awarded the Purple Promise Quality Award (PPQA), a coveted honor recognizing excellence in applying QDM within FedEx. Erika is also a 2020 FedEx President’s Club winner. She holds numerous other individual contributor and leadership awards from the multitude of teams she was a part of in her 20+ year career at FedEx. Erika Tolar, MBA Senior Vice President & Head of Sales Imperative Logistics Nacogdoches, TX Outside of her current role at Imperative Logistics, Erika is extremely active in Nacogdoches and the greater Houston business and non-profit community, giving of her time, talent, and treasure to many organizations to make an impact in the world. She was the 2014 & 2017 Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce (GHWCC) Role Model of the Year for the city of Houston and 2018 GHWCC President’s Award recipient. In March 2020, Erika was recognized as a 2020 Global Leader of Influence by the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, an incredible honor recognizing the influence Erika’s impact has made in regions across the world through her work in the non-profit space globally. Erika also served seven years as a Board of Trustees Director at the Council on Recovery and currently serves on a speaking circuit within the family recovery community, sharing experience, strength and hope for family members and friends affected by the disease of addiction. Erika passionately gives of her time to her alumni family at Stephen F. Austin State University as the president of the SFA Alumni Association and served as an Executive Advisory Cabinet Director to the SFA President in 2022 and search committee for placement of Dr. Neal Weaver, the 11th president of Stephen F. Austin State University, effective May 2024. In 2022, Erika also joined the adjunct faculty ranks at SFA as a marketing professor in the management, marketing & international business department of the Nelson Rusche College of Business. Also in 2022, Erika was an honorary inductee to the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society and served as the guest speaker for the induction ceremony. In 2023, for her efforts with SFA student athletes and community efforts, Erika was selected as the Beyond the Axe Community Leader Award winner. In addition, she currently mentors young professionals starting their careers in collegiate athletics in the SFA Athletics department and gives back her time to a group of 25-30+ SFA student athletes via the Jacks GRO program and business students in the Nelson Rusche College of Business. Erika also serves as an ESPN Color Analyst for Ladyjack Volleyball – you can catch her throughout the volleyball season “on-the-call” with Greg Miller commentating SFA volleyball matches in Nacogdoches and beyond. Erika also has a passion for civic and social responsibility and as such, in 2023 she served as a local community leader on the Capital Needs Advisory Council for the city of Nacogdoches and led a political campaign effort called #NacNOW to pass a much-needed bond package that will transform the growth and advancement of the community of Nacogdoches for the next 40+ years. In her remaining spare time, Erika serves as the President of her son Gavin’s high school athletic booster club, the Nacogdoches High School Dragons, where she leads the strategy development, budgeting, and business plan execution for the football club of 150+ families and young football players with the NHS athletic director and football staff. Go Dragons! Most recently in July 2024, Erika was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Texas for 2024 by the national publication Women We Admire and received the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Award for Liberty Independent School District. Finally, in the summer of 2024 Erika became a board member leading the initiative for women’s sports at The Sawmill Collective, a Nacogdoches based NIL collective providing unwavering support and valuable partnerships to student athletes in SFA Athletics, helping them to achieve their full potential both on and off the court of play and in life and funding NIL opportunities and community service throughout the Nacogdoches community. Axe ‘Em Jacks! 

 

Education: 

Honors Graduate – Liberty High School (1998)

BBA, Marketing – Stephen F. Austin State University (2002) 

MBA, Global Business – University of Phoenix (2005) 

 

Recognition: Erika has received numerous awards and recognition throughout her professional career, including the following: • 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Award – Liberty Independent School District • 2024 Top 50 Women Leaders of Texas for 2024 by Women We Admire • 2023 Beyond the Axe Community Leader Award – Stephen F. Austin State University Athletics • 2022 Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society Honorary Inductee & Guest Speaker @ Nelson Rusche College of Business Beta Gamma Sigma induction ceremony • 2020 Global Leader of Influence by World Affairs Council of Greater Houston • 2020 FedEx President’s Club • 2008 & 2020 FedEx Five Star Award • 2019 Purple Promise Quality Award • 2018 FedEx Humanitarian Award • 2018 Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce President’s Award • 2014 & 2017 Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Role Model of the Year

 

Personal: Erika currently lives in Nacogdoches, TX, with her 15-year-old son Gavin and has active engagement in the following capacities throughout the greater Houston, east Texas, and global communities: • Board of director member at The Sawmill Collective (2024 – current) • Board president at Nacogdoches High School Athletic Booster Club (2023-current) • 2023 Capital Needs Advisory Council member for the city of Nacogdoches & #NacNOW political action committee leader • Board of director & Thought Leaders’ Institute alumni at the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce (2014-2023) • ESPN Color Analyst for SFA Ladyjack Volleyball (2022 – current) • Board president for the SFA Alumni Association (2011-current) • SFA President’s executive advisory cabinet member (2022-current) • Adjunct Professor, Nelson Rusche College of Business, SFA (2022 – 2023) • Advisory board council member at the SFA Rusche College of Business (2014-current) • Board of trustees’ director at The Council on Recovery (2015-2021) • Board vice president at Klein Eagles Football Club (2019-2020) • Board of director and global mentoring director at Lean-In Energy (2017-2019) • Board advisor at Stay Curvy Nation (2015-2019) • Independent advisor to the Liberty Education Foundation (2015-2018) • Abiding Word Lutheran School middle school volleyball coach (2011-2019) • Al-Anon and Nar-Anon family recovery groups (2012-current)

Patricia WatsonPatricia (Patty) Watson recited many adages. One of many she lived by was “You get out of life what you put into it.” Patty definitely put a lot into her 77 years of life, especially when it came to education in her community.

Throughout her life, Patty valued education.  She received her bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State University.  She went on to pursue her master's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.  After 45 years of teaching in Liberty ISD, she served six years on the school board. Patty dedicated over 50 years of her life to LISD.

Patty also loved the Liberty community where she continued to share her love of education. For instance, she enjoyed volunteering at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where she taught CCD for many years. She delighted in teaching and sharing her faith with children, especially the First Communion class. In addition, throughout her life she participated in The Valley Players. In fact, during summers she volunteered to teach and direct children’s plays, and many in the community looked forward to these performances each year.

Patty was a valued teacher, leader, friend and mother whose light shone brightly in her hometown. She loved the Liberty community and her alma mater and spent her life serving both.