Cmdr. Stephen A. Bedard, USN (Ret), graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1976 and retired in 1996 after serving 20 years on active duty. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia while serving in the Navy.

During his military career, he served in a variety of key positions in the Navy Supply Corps, including serving on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, where he performed key financial liaison work with Congressional Senate and House Defense Appropriation staffs for Navy Undersea Warfare Acquisition programs.

Following retirement, he served as Chief Financial Officer for the City in Charleston, S.C. for 20 years, and President and CEO of the Charleston Gaillard Center, a nonprofit performance/exhibition hall complex, for five and a half years. He has taught and continues to teach government and nonprofit financial management and leadership courses to graduate students at the College of Charleston for the last ten years."