Donald Horner III

Donnie Horner III is the Major Gifts Officer at K9s For Warriors in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. K9s is committed to ending veteran suicide and returning our warriors to a life of dignity and independence. K9s envisions a society where veteran suicide and canine euthanasia are eliminated.

A community servant, Donnie sits on the City of Jacksonville's Board of Library Trustees, is the immediate past Chairman of the Jacksonville River Club, and is President of the Naval Academy's Class of 2008. Concurrently, he is the decade representative for the 2000s classes and is a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association's Board of Trustees. He and his wife are Bronze Circle members of the Florida Forum benefiting Wolfson Children's Hospital and are team captains for the annual North Florida Multiple Sclerosis Walk.

Donnie earned his B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2008 and earned his M.B.A. from Jacksonville University in 2011. He is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and was a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives (District 11) in 2016. He was a celebrity participant in Jacksonville's Dancing with the Stars in 2019 and is an avid endurance athlete having completed several races including the 2019 Boston Marathon.

As a Midshipman, Donnie served as 13th Company 1st Sergeant and 13th Company Commander. He delivered the game ball on the field prior to the 2007 Army-Navy game and was a member of both the baseball and ice hockey teams. In his Firstie year, he was the recipient of the Donald Coats award for Excellence in Military Sociology and named the 2008 Naval Academy Athletic Association’s Club Sport Athlete of the Year.

Commissioned an Ensign at graduation, Donnie served as Deck Department 2nd Division Officer aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Donnie was medically retired from the service just two years into his career.

Donnie and his wife Kristen are parishioners at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church where Donnie is a lector. They live in Jacksonville Beach and have a golden doodle named Ellie.