Larry W. Shellito
Inducted Saturday, September 24, 2011
Larry Shellito graduated from Moorhead High School in 1964. While at Moorhead High, he was involved in wrestling and Student Council. Shellito earned bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business administration in 1968 and distributive education in 1972 and a master’s degree in business education in 1984 from Minnesota State University Moorhead. He completed his doctorate in education from the University of Minnesota in 1998. Shellito’s military education includes Command and General Staff College, Defense Strategy Course and United States Army War College.
Shellito enlisted in the United States Army in 1968 and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1969. He served in Vietnam as a Mobile Advisory Team Senior Advisor. In 1973, he joined the Minnesota Army National Guard, where he served for 37 years. Shellito has commanded soldiers at the company, battalion, brigade and division levels.
From 1972 to 2003, Shellito worked at Alexandria Technical College. He was an instructor, department chair and institutional marketing coordinator and then vice president for six years and president for nine years.
Major General Shellito was appointed Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard by Governor Tim Pawlenty in November 2003. For seven years he commanded more than 14,000 members of the Minnesota Army and Air National Guard. Shellito was instrumental in establishing the nation-leading “Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program” to reintegrate service members following deployments.
Retired Major Gen. Shellito was appointed by Governor Mark Dayton as the 17th commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs in January 2011. As commissioner, Shellito assists the state’s 380,000 veterans and their families and oversees the five Veterans Homes and the department’s services.
Shellito earned numerous military awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Bronze Star. He has been involved with education and military organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Veterans.
Larry and his wife, Evonne, have two adult daughters, Elana and Alissa, and three grandchildren, Parker, Riley and Annisten. Shellito lives in Woodbury, Minn.