On July 1, 2004, Dr. Robert R. Ivany became the eighth president of the University of St. Thomas. He has made a significant imprint, emphasizing the education of leaders of faith and character, athletics and becoming one of America’s premier Catholic universities.

Dr. Ivany retired with the rank of Major General from the U.S. Army in October 2003. During his last three army years, he served as commandant (president) of the Army War College. During his various commands as an armored cavalry officer, he led soldiers in the United States, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Federal Republic of Germany and Vietnam where he was wounded in action and decorated for valor. In 1990, Dr. Ivany was the first senior military officer invited to Hungary to contribute to the democratization of that country’s defense establishment. He lived in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait with his family, advising military and civilian leaders on the modernization of their military forces following Desert Storm. Dr. Ivany also served as the Army Aide to the President of the United States from 1984 to 1986 and as an assistant professor of history and football coach at the Military Academy at West Point. After completing his Army service, he served as an adjunct professor on the Executive Education faculty of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.

He received a Ph.D. in History from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and earned a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point.