Captain (USMC, Ret) Kelly D. Royer is the Vice President, Product Support with American Business Development Group, an internationally respected, full-spectrum business development consulting firm, now representing a diverse list of prominent U.S. and international businesses.
After 22 years of service to his country, Mr. Royer retired from the armed forces and immediately joined ABDG in late-2009. Initially serving in the U.S. Air Force (1986-1992), then the California Air National Guard (1992–1994), he reached the rank of Technical Sergeant. Upon completing his bachelor’s degree, Mr. Royer was commissioned an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps where he served an additional 14 years of service (1996-2009) in a number of leadership positions, to include: platoon commander, company executive officer, company commander (x 5), company inspector-instructor, battalion operations officer, division operations (G3) senior watch officer (first combat tour). His service was both stateside and overseas.
During his second combat tour in 2004, as a Company Commander in Iraq, Mr. Royer led and supervised a 210-man infantry rifle company (reinforced) while conducting over 900 combat operations to provide security and stability in the hostile, insurgent hotbed city of Ar-Ramadi (the provincial capital of the Al-Anbar Province and part of the infamous Sunni Triangle). A number of those actions were joint operations with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Special Forces, and Iraqi military & police forces.
From 2005–2009, Mr. Royer held several leadership assignments including Inspector-Instructor and Company Commander for a USMC reserve infantry unit. In that capacity, he led, mentored, trained, and supervised an I&I active-duty staff and an SMCR infantry company (reinforced) of over 180 personnel, as well as developed and executed a local USMC public relations plan. Being remotely located, he managed and supervised the maintenance of five facilities, a 30-vehicle tactical fleet, and a fully-stocked armory to support a heavy weapons company and a scout-sniper platoon.
Mr. Royer received his B.S. in Industrial Technology (cum laude) from Southern Illinois University after receiving his A.S. in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force. Mr. Royer currently resides in Atascadero, California.