Retired Lt. Gen. Benjamin "Randy" Mixon '75 was honored with the Regents' Hall of Fame Alumni and Distinguished Friends Award Sept. 12 at the annual University System of Georgia (USG) Foundation Gala in Atlanta. Five individuals and two couples were honored.

Mixon and his wife, Rhonda, made a generous donation to UNG's Military Science Center project and partnered with other members of the class of 1975 to support the effort. His class has also endowed a scholarship that benefits a cadet and a civilian student during each academic year.

Mixon, who resides in Orlando, Florida, is a member of the UNG Foundation Board of Trustees and an active member of the UNG Foundation Development Committee. He said the award he received also shines a light on his fellow board members and other supporters of the university.

"I give back to North Georgia because of all it did for me, my career and my personal development," Mixon said. "As a young person, North Georgia gave me a structured, disciplined environment that enabled me to succeed in the military and in the defense industry. It also showed me the value of hard work."

He also served as a member of the UNG Alumni Association Board of Directors during the consolidation of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College.

"Due to his incredible service to our Army and his utmost continued devotion to the University of North Georgia, Lt. Gen. Mixon has more than earned this award," President Michael Shannon said. "We appreciate the way he continues to help us deliver the Corps of the Future and train leaders that will serve our nation in both the military and the civilian workforce."

Mixon retired in 2011 as a three-star general and commanding officer of the United States Army, Pacific Command. After retirement, he served as vice president at General Dynamics Information Technology, a subsidiary of General Dynamics.

A native of Columbus, Georgia, Mixon graduated from UNG with a bachelor's degree in political science and, through the Corps of Cadets, commissioned as a U.S. Army infantry officer.

He was brigade commander as a senior in the Corps Cadets and was a member of the Scabbard and Blade honor society at North Georgia.

He also earned a master's degree in public administration from Western Kentucky University and a master's degree in military art and science from the United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

"I really learned how to deal with different kinds of people. Not everybody's cut from the same cloth, and you learn how to adapt your leadership methods and techniques," Mixon said. "It taught me how to be an adaptive leader in a realistic environment. It really helped me throughout my career."

Mixon served on active duty for 36 years and is a veteran of many combat deployments. His military career spanned command positions from platoon to theater level with service in the 82nd Airborne Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division and the 75th Ranger Regiment. He served in combat in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Afghanistan, and in combat in Iraq as commander of the 25th Infantry Division.

His awards and decorations include, among many others, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Southwest Asia Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

His international decorations include the Kuwait Liberation Medal and the Philippine Legion of Honor. Mixon is a recipient of the Combat Action Badge and is a Ranger, Master Parachutist, Expert Infantryman, and Pathfinder.

In April 2015, he was presented the Presidential Leadership Award in honor of his unwavering support of UNG, its students, and his embodiment of UNG values of leadership, service and integrity. He was inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans' Hall of Fame in November 2018 and into the U.S. Army ROTC Hall of Fame in 2022.