Instructor

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Dr. Terry Maris is Dean Emeritus of the Ohio Northern University James F. Dicke
College of Business Administration. He retired from ONU in August 2014 after 24 

years of service. Prior to his academic career Terry was a career Army officer. 

Terry enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 20. He trained as an infantryman and
attained the rank of Specialist E-5 before attending Officer Candidate School. As a commissioned officer, his first assignment was as Assistant Adjutant to the Support Group Commander at Fort Bliss, Texas. Upon promotion to the rank of First Lieutenant, he was appointed the Commander of the Special Processing Detachment. This unit was charged with the apprehension, transport, and incarceration of federal fugitives. His final assignment prior to overseas deployment was as the Commander of an Air Defense Artillery Battery.

He volunteered to serve in Vietnam and was promoted to Captain at the age of 23. The
first of his two combat assignments was with the First Cavalry Division where he 

served as the Officer in Charge of the division sniper team.  He was wounded twice,
the first time by a Viet Cong sniper’s bullet and the second time by a rocket 

propelled grenade (RPG.) 

His second combat assignment was with Military Assistance Command-Vietnam
(MACV) where he served as a Special Operations Senior Advisor/Team Leader. He 

and his team participated in numerous combat operations with South Vietnamese
Regional and Popular Forces, “Ruff Puffs,” in support of the Phoenix Program. He 

was wounded a third time by an enemy mortar round.  

Terry’s military awards and decorations include: the Bronze Star, Purple Heart,
Vietnam Wound Medal, Army Commendation Medal (for valor), Air Medal, 

National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam
Honor Medal First Class, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Gold Star (for heroism), 

Army Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Combat Infantryman
Badge, and the Aircraft Crewman Badge. He was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2007.

He is active in the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a member of the Combat
Infantrymen’s Association, a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a
Life Member of the Military order of the Purple Heart. 

He is an amateur radio Extra Class Accredited Volunteer Examiner (call sign K8TLM) specializing in Emergency Communications.

Terry is an NRA Training Counselor, the highest instructional credential available in the organization. He is also a Certified Pistol Instructor, Certified Rifle Instructor, and Range Safety Officer. He has an Ohio Concealed Handgun License and regularly teaches classes through Northwest Ohio CCW. His clients have included individuals, groups, and law enforcement. He has conducted pro bono marksmanship training to ROTC cadets at Bowling Green State University. He has held a Federal Firearms License since 1986. He is a certified gunsmith, pistolsmith, and law enforcement armorer.

He is a management consultant whose work has taken him to 80 countries during his career, from Andorra to Zimbabwe. His clients have included several Fortune 500 companies as well as the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Army, the Council of the Americas, and certain government agencies.