A.B. Cruz III has distinguished himself in many of today’s leading industries, having served as CLO, General Counsel, CECO, CRO and Corporate Secretary in biotech pharma, telecommunications, media/entertainment, financial services, oil & gas, education, and in the military. Spanning several very different highly regulated industries and representing over $60B in total annual revenue, he has helped lead four public (NASDAQ: VIA & SSP | NYSE: SNI & EBS) and three private companies (USAA, BET, ARINC) through challenge, crisis, and change. As a former Navy Admiral who during his 33+ year military career shaped and led numerous high-performing operational teams in demanding, high-stress, and ambiguous environments, he represented the United States internationally in multiple high-level engagements with foreign militaries.
Serving as Senior Vice President and Divisional General Counsel at USAA, a Fortune 100 financial services company, he led the legal teams that supported the company’s C-suite members and their organizations. He spearheaded the optimization of the chief legal office’s operating and interaction models, and reviewed and approved new products and services to foster USAA’s future growth, competitiveness, and technology transformation.
Prior to USAA, A.B. was Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer, and PAC chairman for Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. Before Emergent, A.B. concurrently served as the Deputy Director of Maritime Operations for U.S. Fleet Forces Command and as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. Prior to that, A.B. was the Deputy Commander for both U.S. 4th Fleet and Naval Forces Southern Command, and served as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for The E.W. Scripps Company.
A.B. has served on numerous boards and is the immediate past chairman of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association board. Currently, he is the President-Elect of the Board of Governors for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. He is also an advisory board member for Bellatorum Resources as well as VetStoreUSA. A board director and audit committee chair for Yellow Ribbon Fund, A.B. is also a board director and governance committee chair for the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, and a board director for the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas. He serves as a board trustee, executive committee member and finance committee chair for Saint Mary’s Hall, and as a board trustee and governance committee member for the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Foundation.
A.B. holds a JD from The Catholic University of America, an MA in Marketing from The University of Maryland, and a BS in General Engineering and Physical Sciences from U.S. Naval Academy.
A visionary leader of the highest character who has developed and implemented many value- and brand-building initiatives, A.B. is a well-respected and credible thought leader.
