Glenn Moore

Despite his humble beginnings in the Bronx’s Webster projects, Glen always envisioned a life of greatness for himself. He was determined to make his dreams reality through the sheer force of his ambition and innate talent, and that mentality is what earned him so many opportunities to soar throughout his life.

As a young boy growing up in the Bronx, Glen’s potential manifested early and made itself known to everyone he met like his third grade elementary school teacher, Ms. Barbara Nowell. When Glen failed to win the presidency of the math club she developed for her class at PS 146, he went to her and asked, “every president has a special advisor, may I be that”? In that moment, Ms. Nowell wasn’t just impressed with Glen’s grit at such a tender age — she knew that he was destined to become someone very special. This story exemplifies Glen’s legacy as a leader. Undeterred by setbacks, he focused on being helpful and involved. Throughout his life, he remained determined to serve and to contribute to the greater good of his community and society.

An alumnus of the illustrious DeWitt Clinton High School, Glen went on to graduate from the State University of New York at Oswego where he studied Communications and Information Science, and from Pennsylvania State University’s Institute of Public Administration where he earned a Master of Public Administration degree. Though Glen took pride in his academic achievements, his college years were also a time when he developed a lifelong passion for the sport of fencing — a passion he channeled both into his own career as a competitive fencer and to his work coaching young athletes in Washington DC and Northern Virginia. Glen was mentored by Craig Bell, the first African American NCAA champion in Saber fencing (University of Illinois, 1964), and while Glen did not know it at the time, his fencing mentor was among his future wife’s relatives.

Glen graduated from the Senior Executive Fellows program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. In the Defense Department, he served in several agencies including the Office of the Secretary of the Army (OSA), The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). During his 23 years with the Defense Department, Glen’s specialized work contributed to the development of some of the cutting-edge technologies that are now integral to our nation’s defense capabilities like drones, the Military Satellite Communications Program (GPS SATCOM), and the Army’s super-computer program. A consummate diplomat, negotiator, and strategist, his work as Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization within DISA contributed to leveling the playing field for women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses. He championed the projects that enabled Howard University and other HBCUs to participate in the early research and development of telecommunications and information systems capabilities of our country, laying the groundwork for much of the HBCU tech engagement happening today. In 1998, having risen through the ranks to become a member of the Senior Executive Service, Glen retired from the United States Department of Defense.

More recently, Glen was a sought-after consultant and a trusted advisor to senior executives in the defense, federal-contracting, small-business development, technology, and education sectors. From 2006 to 2008, he co-authored annual reports for the White House’s Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities focused on advancing educational equity. He also helped develop the Operation MBA program, a program of the Graduate Management Admission Council, aimed at recruiting and supporting military officers seeking to broaden their education and position themselves for greater opportunities both inside and outside of the military. A WWII historian, Glen was an avid reader of books, magazines, and journals. This influenced his career and love of military science and science fiction. Glen was also quite the avid ‘Trekker’ —amassing a considerable collection of Star Trek books and other memorabilia.

Ultimately, Glen’s greatest joy was his children and large extended family in the U.S. and around the world. His three beautiful and talented children include Charles G. Pulliam-Moore, a writer and entertainment critic; Orion X. Moore, an up-and-coming musician with a distinct sound whose music videos have reached more than 6 million streams so far; and Rigel A. Moore, MSW, LMSW, a social work professional, leader, and active member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Rigel has held fast to one of her father’s favorite mantras “…in this family, we wear the Red and White (or Crimson and Cream)!” Glen enjoyed co-hosting gatherings of family and friends along with his wife, Nicole, at their Herndon, Virginia and Mobile, Alabama homes. During these occasions he always engaged everyone with his infectious smile, rich baritone singing voice, gripping stories, and overall jovial nature. No matter the situation, Glen did anything he could to help the people he loved. He offered sage advice — always when asked for, but often when it wasn’t. He was always ready to celebrate everyone’s accomplishments alongside them. But Glen was just as ready to be a source of support and strength for others when times were tough, which is why he was so deeply loved and respected by his large family and even larger host of friends.

Glen was steadfast in his love of his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi. He honored and revered the organization’s history as one of the first nine Greek letter organizations founded in 1911 by and for Black students. He treasured his relationship with his Kappa brothers and the fraternal bond they shared. He proudly wore the colors, participated in chapter and national convenings, and supported initiatives like the Kappa League, an enrichment program for young men. Over the years, Glen maintained relationships with many of his fraternity brothers both locally and nationally. He especially enjoyed partaking in Mobile’s Mardis Gras revelry with his fraternity brothers — sharing great food, fun, and fellowship with them either at the Kappa House, along the parade route, or at formal galas.

Glen will be remembered as a man who really showed up for others. He supported his friends and cooperated with his rivals for the common benefit of all. Those closest to Glen will remember him as a true friend filled with unconditional love and a glittering sense of humor. He knew how to make people feel safe when they really needed it, and even though he always sought excellence from others, he also knew how to help people tap into the strengths within them that he could see. Glen was cherished and loved, but he was also a loving person who always made you feel like the most important person in the room. That, more than almost anything else, is Glen’s legacy, and what he would want us to hold onto in moments when we’re thinking of him.

Glen was preceded in death by his father, Randall D. Moore, Sr., mother, Fanny Lee Cherry Moore, brother Randall D, Moore, Jr. and sister, Earlean A. Moore. Left to cherish his memory are Nicole Chestang Moore, whom he loved, supported, and encouraged as his devoted wife, friend, professional and #1 traveling companion throughout their 21 years together; his three children: Charles G. Pulliam-Moore; Orion X. Moore; and Rigel A. Moore; his in-laws, Dr. and Mrs. Leon (Aurelia) Chestang and Yvette Chestang, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles (Iona) Hargrave; cousins Beatrice Bryant, Andre Bryant, Kenneth (Theresa) Bryant, Lisa (Paul) Davis and their families; a host of cousins and extended family in, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Alabama and across the United States, Barbados and the U.K. and his dearest, lifelong friends, you know who you are.