Jack McDonald Military Service Appreciation Award

Stanford GSB presented the 2022 Jack McDonald Military Service Appreciation Award to Dr. Melody McDonald on May 4, 2022. Dr. Melody McDonald was recognized for her commitment to and generous support of military veterans at Stanford and the GSB.

After Professor Jack McDonald, Melody’s husband of 45 years, passed away, having taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business for 50 years, Melody decided it was her special mission to continue working with the Veteran students at the business school, doing her best to carry on Professor McDonald’s legacy. He had worked with the Veteran students and also with the Veterans making the transition from Military Service to Civilian life. Professor McDonald, who had been a Veteran himself, knew the challenges they had to overcome. 

Melody spent time having lunches, dinners, and meetings where they discussed jobs, interviews, life in general, and other specific issues. She has continued these activities for the last four years since his death even though spending the last eight months in a wheelchair, when the future of walking was not a likely prospect. She continues her work still with the Veterans with great enthusiasm and is very appreciative of the opportunity to be a part of their lives. “They have done so much for us, it is the least I can do for them.”

From February 2002 through February 2005, she held an appointment from the President of the United States to represent the interests of the general public as Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. She served as a Managing Director for RCM/Allianz Global Investors for 29 years. She retired after 31 years in January 2018. She now serves as Honorary Chair for the Jack McDonald Investment Course at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In addition to her Master of Music from the New England Conservatory, Dr. McDonald received a Doctorate in Musical Arts from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, graduating as the Class Marshal (Harvard’s equivalent to the Arbuckle Award). Her music interests include piano, baroque music, and jazz.

About the Dinner and Award

Hosted by Stanford GSB Veterans Club, the Jack McDonald Military Service Appreciation Award dinner unites the Stanford community and honors the outstanding contributions, courage, and commitment of past and present service members around the world.

This award recognizes a person who has served in the military, has an extraordinary track record of leadership, and is an example of outstanding achievement in business or business education.

Awards Recipients