John C. Donovan

John C. Donovan graduated from West Point in 1966. He attended Airborne and Ranger schools, held a top secret clearance, and served our nation admirably and courageously during Cold War assignments in Germany and fought in combat during the height of the Vietnam War in 1968-1969.

Donovan is the recipient of several military awards including the Bronze Star, the Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation (82nd Airborne Division), Meritorious Unit Citation (7th Army Europe), two Overseas Combat Bars, and a Parachutist’s Badge. Following military service, Mr. Donovan received his MBA degree from Purdue University, and worked for 24 years at Verizon where he was noted for his pioneering work in fiber optics starting in 1983.

He started his own telecommunications consulting firm in 1996, and became a nationally recognized expert witness before the FCC and 44 State Utility Commissions. For the past ten years, John has served as Commander of the William Bradford Turner Post No. 265 of the American Legion in Garden City, New York. Under his leadership, his Post, along with its Ladies Auxiliary, has adopted a wing at Northport Veterans Hospital specializing in veterans with mental disabilities.

He personally organizes, writes dozens of letters, and leads efforts to bring together almost 3,000 people to march and view the annual Memorial Day Parade in Garden City. Commander Donovan has designed and personally builds a series of beautiful walnut plaques given every year to eleven school children of various ages for outstanding achievement and citizenship, and to four local heroes at the Village of Garden City’s Law & Order Night. Commander Donovan works quietly behind the scenes to help members of his local community, especially involving the honoring of veterans.

His activities have included a widely publicized rededication of the Rainbow Division Monument that brought celebrities from as far away as Virginia and Massachusetts, and a local effort to create a centralized Memorial Garden to honor local veterans of Garden City who participated in military service during wartime. Always willing to give of his own free time, he is supported by his wonderful wife Karen, and three sons John, Tom, and Ted.