VMASC Director Appointed

Michael McGinnis, Old Dominion’s new executive director of the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC), comes to the university with impressive credentials.

Brig. Gen. McGinnis is the recently retired head of the Department of Systems Engineering at the U.S. Military Academy and was a key figure in Army modeling and simulation projects over the past 15 years.

In 2002-03, McGinnis directed a task force for the secretary of the Army that used modeling and analysis to revamp the way the Army builds its combat brigades.

Under his leadership, reimbursable research in systems engineering at West Point increased from $300,000 in 1999 to $3 million in 2005.

VMASC is an integral part of a Hampton Roads modeling, simulation and visualization cluster of industry, government and academic entities focused on military and commercial applications. It is a catalyst for $500 million per year in regional economic activity.