AFCEA Excom Member Dies

Col. Tom Horton, USAF (Ret.), a member of the executive committee on AFCEA’s board of directors died on March 20 at the age of 72. He also served on the board of the Atlanta Chapter.

Col. Horton attended Georgia Tech where he was a member of the varsity football team. Upon graduating in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial management, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He earned a Master of Science in management from Troy State University.

During his Air Force career, Col. Horton served as a communications and information systems officer in assignments in Mississippi, California, Washington D.C., Georgia, South Carolina, England and Scotland. His command assignments included a detachment in England and a squadron at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.

Additionally, Col. Horton served a tour as an executive assistant with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and the Defense Superior Service Medal and was recognized in 1980 with the Air Force Communications-Electronics Professionalism Award.

Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1994, he went to work for his alma mater as chief of staff for the Georgia Tech Research Institute. He served as the assistant director for Development and Government Relations, and also as a principal research associate and program manager and business developer.

As well as serving on AFCEA’s board, Col. Horton was a member of the Steering Committee of the Georgia Tech Letterman’s Club and was elected to the executive board of the General Faculty Assembly. He was a member of the Technology Association of Georgia and served on the board of directors for the Business and Technology Alliance.

Col. Horton is survived by his wife, Elaine, twin daughters, Kaki Horton Colvin (Rob) and Betsy Horton Massie (Alex), his grandchildren Amelia and Jack Massie, and his siblings, John William Horton Jr. (Kathy Tupper) of Beaufort, South Carolina and Nancy Horton Smith (Bob) of Marietta, Georgia.