Major General Paul Lister was born in El Paso, Texas and graduated from New Mexico State University in 1963 with an ROTC commission. He holds a Masters Degree in Social Work and Business Administration from the University of Hawaii. Major General Lister became Deputy Commanding General (DCG), Reserve Components, for the US Army Pacific in January 1991 and went on to serve as Deputy Commanding General for US Army Reserve, US Army Pacific.

Lister served three tours in Vietnam before embarking upon a distinguished career in the US Army Reserve that included commanding the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment and Commanding General of the IX Corps at Fort DeRussy.

Among his decorations, Lister earned two Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star and three Bronze Stars. In his civilian career he was Vice President for Ancillary Services, Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, as well as the President of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce. Since 1996, Lister has held the rank of Associate Professor of Business at Eureka College, where he formerly served as President of the College and the Director of the Ronald W. Reagan Leadership Program.