James E. McCarthy, President & Director: Jim McCarthy, Major General, USAF (Ret.) served 33 years of active service in the U.S. Air Force, completing his career as The Air Force Civil Engineer from 1992 – 1995. Subsequently, he served in engineering, construction, and environmental companies for ten years in operational positions, including Division Manager and President. Jim moved to Durango in 2003 with his wife, Paula, and has three grown daughters and a son born in Durango. Jim established and supervised a Red Cross Shelter in Gulfport, MS during Hurricane Katrina, leads a committee in his homeowners’ association, and is a member of the La Plata County Planning Commission.
Susan Patchett Hamilton, Corporate Secretary and Director in Charge of Operations: Susan Hamilton worked for many years as an officer and commercial lender for a suburban Chicago bank. Her responsibilities included business development, credit analysis and documentation, and management of a loan portfolio in excess of $20,000,000. Her customers were small and medium sized companies, and ranged from the local florist shop to a steel foundry. She retired to raise children, but soon found ways to apply her management and people skills in support of her children and community. She served as nursery school board member, PTA liaison with the Glenview (Illinois) Public Schools Board of Education, and started and ran a publishing center for her children’s school. After moving to Durango in the mid 90’s, she served as President of Durango Whitewater Center for Excellence, chaired the Ongoing Support the Troops Project for Southwest Republican Women, and became an associate member of Blue Star Mothers of America (Durango Chapter). Susan was part of the initial steering committee involved in creation of ARMED FORCES SUPPORT COALITION.
Warren Kerzon, Treasurer and Director in Charge of Memberships: Warren Kerzon earned a degree in Engineering Physics and served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years. He served tours of duty as a Tactical Fighter Pilot and Experimental Test Pilot and also served a combat tour in Southeast Asia. He completed assignments as a physicist conducting space environmental research, Avionics Flight Test Manager for the F-15 Air Superiority Fighter, commanded the Operations Division of the USAF Test Pilot School, and commanded the Flight Test Range at the Air Force Flight Test Center. He retired as a Lt. Colonel. After military retirement, he worked for General Dynamics and Rockwell North American Aircraft in the flight test and technical representative areas. He moved to Durango in 1996, and since that time, has supported the local chapter of the American Red Cross as an Armed Forces Emergency Services volunteer.
Barbara Ann Bales, Director in Charge of Volunteer Development: Barbara Bales grew up in Tucson, AZ where her father was an Air Force Master Sergeant. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. In 1976, Barbara was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy Nurse Corps, and her first assignment was to the Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA. Subsequent duty stations included Okinawa, Japan; Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton; Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro; Hospital Corps School, San Diego; and Navy Clinics Command, San Diego. She completed a Masters Degree in Health Care in 1993. Barbara retired from the Navy in 1994 as a Lt. Commander, and began working in medical research, with a primary focus on women’s health issues and health promotion. She and her husband, J.T. Coyne (CAPT/USN/RET), settled in the Durango area in 2003. She is active in the local community and has volunteered with the American Red Cross, served as President of the local chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, and as a volunteer with the Rotary Club of Durango. J.T. and Barbara’s son is SGT Jesse Coyne, who has served tours in Iraq.
Joseph Donavan, Co-Director in Charge of Fund Development and Special Events: Joe Donavan spent 4-1/2 years in the U.S. Army, during which time he did biological warfare research at Ft. Detrick, Maryland, and then ran the 4th U.S. Army Veterinary and Radioisotope Laboratory at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. Following his military service, he had a veterinary practice in Madison, Wisconsin, for 25 years. During that time, he served as County Commissioner, County Park Commissioner, President of the Regional Planning Commission and was on the Board of Directors of the Madison Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he was a Director of the Social Planning Agency for the county, and was Chairman of Intergovernmental Affairs between the city, county and state. After retirement, he moved to Wyoming and was a member of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and President of the Rotary Club. He moved to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in 1995, and has served as Chairman and various committee heads for Relay for Life, and on the Board of Directors of the Humane Society. In addition, he served as Vice President of the Pagosa Lakes Homeowners’ Association, which had a $2,000,000 annual budget and managed many community services, including a police department.
Ronald R. Fogleman, Director: General Ron Fogleman retired from the USAF on 1 September, 1997, after 34 years of active commissioned service. On his final tour of duty, General Fogleman served as the 15th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From 1992 until 1994 he was Commander in Chief of the U.S. Transportation Command (CINCTRANS). As Chief of Staff, he served as the senior uniformed officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of 750,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the JCS, he served as a military advisor to the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and the President. General Fogleman is currently Chairman, The Durango Group, LLC, an international aviation consulting firm with a client list that includes The Boeing Company, FMC, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and RSL Electronics. He serves on the board of directors for AAR Corp., Alliant Techsystems, First National Bank of Durango, IDC, Impinj, MITRE Corporation, and Thales-Raytheon Systems. He devotes considerable time to national security and community affairs. He currently chairs the Falcon Foundation and the Airlift/Tanker Association. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Fort Lewis College Foundation, and the Air Force Association. Since retiring from the Air Force, he has chaired an Air Force laboratory study on directed energy weapons, a National Research Council Committee on Aeronautics Research and Technology for Vision 2050: An Integrated Transportation System, served on the NASA Mars Program Independent Assessment Team, the congressionally directed Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, the NASA Shuttle Return to Flight Task Group, the NASA Advisory Council and The Defense Policy Board.
James Donald Garofalo, Director Assisting Fund Development and Special Events: Jim Garofalo served in the infantry in Korea. He was awarded a Purple Heart and several battle stars. He was employed for 35 years as an engineer with Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, and worked on a number of important military programs, such as the Trident Missile Program and several key satellite programs. After retirement, he moved to Durango from Northern California. He has been an active community volunteer, primarily in youth baseball. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Music in the Mountains and is involved in quite a few Kiwanis projects.
Shannon Richardson, Director: Shannon Richardson has extensive business and public relations experience. She was part of one of the fastest growing medical service organizations in California and worked as a liaison between physicians and the management company. She also has extensive experience in campaign management and public relations, running two political campaigns in the early 90’s. In addition, she and her husband owned and operated a successful catering business for more than a decade. After moving to Colorado in 1998, Shannon served as Executive Director for the American Red Cross (Southwest Colorado Chapter), and then served as a Board member. Later she accepted a position with a local engineering firm working as the Office Administrator and then as an engineering technician. Shannon left the engineering position after three years to stay home with her young daughter. She is married and has four children, one of whom serves in the U.S. Navy Seabees. Shannon has always served her community: Junior Achievement volunteer; Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference Media Marketing Committee; Board of Directors, La Plata County American Red Cross; United Way Radiothon volunteer; Durango High School, Stadium Lights Committee Chairperson; La Plata County Republican Party, Chairman.
'He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.' - Abraham Lincoln
