Dr. Tom Mullikin, renowned explorer, was honored for "empowering women and young people" in the Pacific archipelago.
On July 4, 2024, during a ceremony on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos, Luciana Bianchi and Pablo Majia of the Galapagos Foundation awarded global expedition leader Dr. Tom Mullikin with an honorary membership and recognition for his extensive work and support in the Galapagos Islands.
The award cited Mullikin’s significant contributions to the Galapagos Foundation, which focuses on educational projects that empower young people and women in the Galapagos Islands through training in hospitality and restoration with an ethical-sustainable approach.
In June, Mullikin embarked on a journey across Ecuador, including an expedition up Mount Chimborazo with a team of retired U.S. Army special forces and mountaineering experts from his organization, Global Eco Adventures (GEA). Afterward, Mullikin and his team traveled to the Galapagos Islands, where he has been teaching and exploring for several weeks.
Mullikin, a university professor, attorney, former U.S. Army officer, and retired two-star general of the S.C. State Guard, currently chairs the S.C. Floodwater Commission. His extensive expeditionary achievements include SCUBA diving in every ocean and climbing mountains on every continent, including four of the seven great summits. He has also navigated deserts, rainforests, and arctic tundra, often leading groups of retired and former U.S. military special operators.
“Caring for the planet, our fragile environmental systems, and our fellow man has always been a lifelong passion ignited in my youth,” said Mullikin after being recognized by the Galapagos Foundation. “I simply love people and the natural world around me.”
Mullikin also leads the annual SOUTH CAROLINA SEVEN (SC7) expedition, a 300-mile trek across South Carolina involving activities like hiking, climbing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and SCUBA diving. Participants include state leaders and military and business figures.
Mullikin returned to his home in Camden, S.C., on July 6, 2024.
