Former Army Maj. Gen. John B. Richardson IV Joins USAA To Lead Military Affairs

SAN ANTONIO – USAA has welcomed retired Army Maj. Gen. John B. Richardson IV as senior vice president and head of the company’s Military Affairs team. Johnny retired from the Army after a distinguished 33-year military career and brings a wealth of experience, a fervent passion for caring for military families and a forward-thinking approach to leadership. His family has had continuous membership in USAA for five generations and he has been a member himself for 36 years.

“Johnny has dedicated his life in service to the military community and we are honored to leverage his experiences as USAA continues to evolve our support and advocacy of our military community and their families,” said Ameesh Vakharia, executive vice president and chief strategy and brand officer. “We are incredibly pleased to have him join our team and bring his forward-thinking, adaptive leadership to our organization.”

Johnny culminated his career as the Commanding General of the First Cavalry Division stationed in Fort Cavazos, Texas. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he commanded at every level as an armored cavalryman from tank platoon to armored division. Johnny served four combat tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

A highly decorated officer, his awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with Combat device, the Legion of Merit with Combat device, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and the Purple Heart. He was also awarded the French National Order of Merit and French National Defense Medal-Gold.

In his role at USAA, Johnny will oversee the Military Affairs team’s strategic direction and contribute to and influence the company’s growth and operations. Additionally, his team of passionate and dedicated veterans stationed across the U.S. that have nearly 1,400 years of combined military service, will lead purposeful outreach and relationship building throughout the military community to help enable USAA deliver exceptional services to current and future USAA members. 

“There’s no better leader to help us understand and continue to be at the forefront of serving our ever-evolving military community and members,” added Vakharia.

About USAA

Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and retirement solutions and serves more than 13.5 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, USAA has offices in eight U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 37,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or X (@usaa), or visit usaa.com.