Distinguished Alumni Award

Frank O’Neill entered Westminster in the fall of 1974 as a sophomore, just two years after Westminster was founded. At that time, Westminster only went up to grade 10, but an additional grade was being added each year to build a full high school program. As a result, O’Neill was in Westminster’s inaugural graduating class in 1977, and he graduated as Westminster’s first valedictorian. While at Westminster, he played soccer, basketball, and baseball, and also served as the president of Westminster’s Student Council.

Lllie Senter Georgia College & State University

Tyler Smith Augusta University

Jacob Stone University of Mississippi

Isaiah Thomas Augusta University

Emily Weaver University of Georgia

Abby Wells Clemson University

Jack West Mercer University

Bethany Williams Berry College

Garrett Witten Augusta University

After graduating from Westminster, O’Neill attended Augusta College, now known as Augusta University, where he majored in Biology and Education. Upon graduating from college, he was hired at Hephzibah High School, where he taught Chemistry, Anatomy, and Physiology, and coached softball.

In 1988, O’Neill received an appointment to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va. where he began his career as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During his career with the FBI he worked to combat international drug trafficking in Bogota, Colombia; coordinated national and international terrorism investigations; and served as the national coordinator for covert operations for counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigations.

After retiring from the FBI in 2014, O’Neill went to work for Discover Financial Services conducting physical and information security assessments of their third-party vendors across the globe. In 2021, he was hired as the managing director for cybersecurity by a security focused consulting firm in Washington, DC, and he recently conducted security assessments during the World Cup Games in Qatar at the request of the Qatari government.

In coming full circle and never forgetting his roots, O’Neill is still actively involved with Westminster by assisting his niece, Kendra Sue Finch, with Westminster’s GenCyber Program, in which he serves as a cybersecurity expert and field experience storyteller.

O’Neill currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Nina. They attend the District Church where they lead a couples small group. O’Neill also leads a men’s group and serves as a counselor each summer at Camp Hope in Dahlonega, Ga. O’Neill and his wife have two grown sons who are serving their country in the Coast Guard and the U.S. Army. Both of his sons are married and have given him and his wife the gift of four grandchildren.

As O’Neill spoke to graduates at this year’s commencement ceremony, he emphasized the importance of being a lifelong learner, and how Westminster set him on that path early in his life.

“When I arrived at Westminster I was a young man who lacked confidence and showed no potential for leadership, but that all changed at Westminster,” said O’Neill. “I am so thankful for those who invested in me.”