The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce is honoring Major General Francis D. Vavala, retired general of the Delaware National Guard, with a lifetime achievement award. The award will be presented at the Chamber's Annual Dinner on March 20th at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

General Vavala assumed duties as adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard in February 1999, after serving in the Delaware Army National Guard. In January 2017, Vavala was promoted to lieutenant general.

Born on June 21, 1947, in Wilmington, he joined the Delaware Army National Guard in March 1967 as a private. He was commissioned in June 1970 after completing the Delaware Military Academy Officer Candidate School. General Vavala received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Wilmington College.

Before his appointment as Adjutant General, he was a Marketing Services Supervisor for the DuPont Company.