Dr. Robert Near

Airborne Artilleryman, U.S. Army,
Board President

About Me

Robert R. Near, Ph.D., M.P.A. serves as President of the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor, leading the organization’s mission to recognize and preserve the legacy of Michigan’s distinguished veterans through strategic leadership, governance, and community engagement.

Dr. Near is a public sector executive with more than a decade of leadership experience spanning state government, public health, economic development, nonprofit organizations, and private industry. He is the founder of Undaunted Consulting and has served in executive leadership roles including Deputy Director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, Veteran Systems Navigator at HealthWest, Economic Development Coordinator, Chief Financial Officer, and Director of Programs & Partnerships for the Worldmaker Resilience Institute.

A U.S. Army Airborne Artillery veteran with combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Dr. Near holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences from Western Michigan University and a Master of Public Administration from Penn State University. He remains committed to advancing the well-being of veterans while honoring the service and sacrifice of those who have served our nation.