He is a native of Covington, Ind., and received his commission as a Supply Corps Ensign from Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I., March 1963. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management from Purdue University and a master’s degree in Financial Management from George Washington University.

Rear Adm. Hickman’s served in a variety of afloat and ashore tours in the Navy and retired in 1999 after serving for 37 years on active duty . He achieved the rank of Rear Admiral Upper Half and was serving as Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command and 40th Chief of Supply Corps at the time of his retirement.

His awards include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (second award), Meritorious Service Medal (fourth award), Navy Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation (third award), National Defense Service Medal (second award), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (second award), and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Since retirement, he has served on several Boards and Committees and worked as an independent consultant. In particular, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Navy Supply Corps Foundation from 1999 to 2009 where he directed the non-profit Foundation through the development of a long term Strategic Plan and related successful fund drive. In 2011, he was awarded the Navy Supply Corps Lifetime Achievement Award. He recently resigned from the Board of Directors of Vision Technology Halter Marine, a shipyard on the gulf coast of Florida where he served for 10 years. He and his wife Libby, moved to The Villages in 2005.