2017 Hall of Fame Inductee – Adam LaRue

Adam LaReau is Co-Founder of O2X, a company that trains and educates first responders, tactical and elite organizations on maximizing human performance. As a founder of O2X, Adam covers operations to include education, research and data analysis, and program development to tackle occupational related physiological and psychological impacts.

Notably, Adam is a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy. He began his military career as a Midshipman at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York. After graduation and his commission in 2002, he became the first U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Midshipman to report directly to-and successfully complete the U.S. Navy’s Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training to earn the title of U.S. Navy SEAL. His efforts helped develop a pipeline for future U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Midshipmen to pursue goals of serving their country as U.S. Navy SEALs.

After successfully completing BUD/S and advanced training, he spent his career with Navy SEAL Teams and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. Over the next decade, Adam conducted seven combat deployments in support of Operation lraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and other contingency operations around the globe. He received two bronze stars, nine service and two combat ribbons, and three presidential and one Navy unit citation.

Having left active duty in August 2013, Adam attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and received a Master of Public Administration degree. Following his passions, he created a non-profit called ‘One Summit’ to help build resilience in children with cancer that has spread to three major cities, helped hundreds of children, and the results of which are being utilized in post-traumatic growth studies.

Adam’s civilian awards include; Harvard’s Robert F. Kennedy Award for Public Service; 2014 Light of Leadership Award and 2017 Distinguished Alumni Commencement speaker from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; 2015 Mass General Hospital “The One Hundred” honoree; and the U.S. finalist in Harvard’s President Challenge entrepreneurship competition.