Marc A. Cisneros
Lt. General, U.S. Army-Retired
Marc Cisneros is a 10th generation South Texan, being a direct descendant of the Spanish officer who colonized that area. He was born in Brownsville, Texas and raised in Premont. In his younger years he was active in FFA and rodeos in the ranching community of Jim Wells County.
An ROTC Distinguished Graduate from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, he was commissioned in the Regular Army in 1961. He served for 35 years and retired as a 3 star general. During that time he served in three combat tours; twice in Vietnam and once in Panama. He earned the Combat Infantry Badge and was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. During Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama, Marc was the Commander of U.S. Army South and JTF Panama, and received wide recognition for his role in capturing the Panamanian dictator, Noriega, and restoring democracy.
After retiring from the Army in 1996, Marc was selected to be President of Texas A&M University-Kingsville in south Texas where he served for three years. Currently, he is CEO of the Kenedy Memorial Foundation, which is a major charity foundation in Texas that also owns and operates a 235,000 acre ranch adjacent to the King Ranch.
Marc was a Member of the Advisory Board, Bush School of Government and Public Service. Marc was also a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. He has been married over 47 years to the former Eddy Virginia Durham, has three children and three granddaughters.