American Systems, a leading provider of government IT and engineering solutions and one of the top 100 employee-owned companies in the U.S., announced the addition of Jeff Jancek to its executive team. Jancek, with more than 30 years of experience in providing military, civil, and business leadership, will serve as the vice president and director of the Live, Virtual and Constructive Training (LVC) Directorate and oversee this group's business development, financial management, and workforce management goals.

Jancek will be responsible for the identification and prosecution of new business opportunities and the execution of the programs within the LVC Directorate within American Systems' Custom Solutions offering. In addition to business development, Jancek will oversee all activities related to program, project, and technical performance and contract, financial, and personnel management. "In his new role as vice president/director of the LVC Directorate, Jeff will pioneer new opportunities and elevate existing programs, and we expect that he will act as a significant growth catalyst for an important and long-standing facet of the company," said Pete Pflugrath, vice president and GM of Custom Solutions for American Systems. Read More

1st Advantage Mortgage, a Draper and Kramer company, one of the top 100 Mortgage Bankers in America, announced Craig Achtzehn has joined the company's Chicago office as Vice President of Mortgage Origination. Achtzehn has been a top performing mortgage originator throughout his career. With 14 years of experience in mortgage banking, Achtzehn has held management and sales positions at both regional and national mortgage lenders. He proudly served our nation as an Officer in the U.S. Army for 2 years and holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.

"I chose 1st Advantage because I believe they provide the best resources and support to grow my business. I am amazed by the company's technology and excited by their vision for growth," said Achtzehn.Achtzehn has a structured, disciplined and consistent business style which has helped him to grow as a leader in his field. His primary focus throughout his career has been to provide world-class service and he feels that he is only as successful as his last transaction. By going the extra mile to ensure his clients receive the best available rate and terms, Achtzehn has earned an exceptional reputation with his past clients and referral sources. Read More

The Tristate Veterans Community Alliance (TVCA) Board of Directors has appointed Dan Knowles as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2016. Dan is an Army veteran who served 7 years on active duty before accepting a brand management position with Procter & Gamble in 1986. He left P&G in 2000 to become chief marketing officer of Reynolds & Reynolds in Dayton. In October 2002, he started his own consulting firm and over the past 13 years has worked with both multi-national and regional companies in pharmaceuticals, healthcare delivery, information technology, construction, and banking.

This appointment is an acceleration of plans to formalize the TVCA organizational structure in July 2016. The decision was made in recognition of faster progress than anticipated toward achieving our goals. Board Chairman Maj Gen (ret) Leonard Randolph, Jr. MD said, “Recent feedback from key stakeholders indicated that this was the right time to make this move. As a co-founder, Dan has been instrumental in creating the vision, building the organization, and helping us recruit and align key donors and partners to better serve veterans and their families in the Tristate. The progress achieved to date has been extraordinary and has exceeded our very high expectations.” Read More

The Folded Flag Foundation, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization focused on raising and awarding money in the form of educational scholarships to surviving family members of military and government employees who have lost their lives in combat while serving our country, is pleased to announce John Coogan has joined the Foundation as Executive Director. Coogan has more than 20 years experience in the non-profit and technology sectors, specializing in strategic fundraising planning, fundraising infrastructure management, donor operations management and fundraising data analysis. In his previous roles as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation and as Director of Technology and Fundraising Infrastructure for Wounded Warrior Project, Coogan helped raise millions of dollars in charitable gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations.

"I am pleased to be a part of the Folded Flag Foundation and to lend my management and fundraising skills to this very worthy cause," said Coogan. "The mission of the Folded Flag Foundation is unique in that it provides substantial educational grants to children and spouses of our fallen heroes. Another factor that attracted me to this great organization is that all of its administrative costs are underwritten by two companies -- Black Knight Financial Services and ServiceLink, so all of the money we raise goes to the families. I look forward to helping the Folded Flag Foundation grow so we can provide even more educational grants to the families of our fallen heroes." Read More

ACell, Inc. announced that it has named Patrick (Pat) McBrayer President and Chief Executive Officer. McBrayer has more than 20 years of healthcare senior management experience. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Misonix, Inc. and was President and CEO of AxioMed Spine Corporation. "Pat has strong executive experience in regulated healthcare environments, a track record of maximizing the potential of early-stage technology, and a proven commitment to improving patient care," said Kerbawy. 

He received the Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award in 1998 for a biological implant for bone repair that is now a market leading product. McBrayer held positions of increasing responsibility for Johnson & Johnson, Inc. He has over 20 years healthcare senior management experience and served as an Infantry Officer Company Commander in the U.S. Army prior to beginning his business career. Read More

Paul D. Tomlingson published his 11th industrial maintenance management textbook: Maintenance in Transition – The Journey to World Class Maintenance. Mining Media International is currently publishing a series of six articles based on the book in both Engineering and Mining Journal and Coal Age. In his 44 year management consulting career, Tomlingson has published over 100 trade journal articles in Engineering and Mining Journal, Mining Engineering, Coal Age, Plant Engineering, Maintenance Technology, Uptime Magazine, Production Engineering, World Coal, Coal, Better Roads, Public Works and Ski Area Management. His short stories have been published in The Monterey County Herald (California), The Vermont Sunday Magazine and the Grand (County) Gazette (Kremmling, Colorado).

Attorney Leo Flor ’02 was working for the Northwest Justice Project when an unusual case came in. A veteran who had been injured by an IED blast was being told to repay benefits he had received from the VA. An oversight in paperwork was threatening this soldier’s livelihood and his ability to take care of his family. Although it took more than a year to clear up the matter, Flor was able to get the agency to forgive the veteran’s debt and for him to keep his home. Read the entire story here.

Growing up as a first generation immigrant from South Korea, Bill Song ’98 witnessed his parents’ hard work and understood the value of a great education. To him, West Point was the perfect place, in that it offered a rigorous academic program and allowed him to serve the country that offered his family a new life. Today, Mr. Song credits his West Point education for his career and skill set and sees his contributions as a way to show his gratitude and invest in our country’s future leaders.  Read more.

Last year’s successful fundraising campaign provided a platform on which we must build. We need to press forward and sustain this important support. Throughout the year, you may be asked to contribute to the following funds, each of which meets the immediate, annual needs of the Academy and Association:

♦ Superintendent’s Annual Fund/ West Point Parents Fund (unrestricted funds for cadets and USMA)
♦ Long Gray Line (unrestricted funds for graduates and WPAOG)
♦ Army A Club (unrestricted gifts for intercollegiate athletics)
♦ Class Gift Funds/Restricted Gifts (restricted by classes in reunion campaigns/specific programs)

COLUMBUS, GA - One of the architects of the National Infantry Museum, Ben Williams, will soon step down as president and COO. The statue of an infantry soldier was a key component of the museum, and it has become quite the focal point. The Army's newest soldiers are brought here after graduation, and just about everyone wants a picture made in front of the statue. Williams is being replaced by Retired Col. Greg Camp, who's been serving as Executive Vice-President and Chief Development Officer. He was selected in a unanimous vote last week. Read More

Afghanistan veteran Matthew Griffin can count on a standing ovation when he talks about his dream of propelling a manufacturing company in the country where he once fought. He ends his tale with an invitation to join him in the “unarmed forces,” preventing conflict by spurring industry in troubled places. This past Friday the company that he co founded Combat Flip Flops won support from the name-brand investors who sit on the panel of ABC’s “Shark Tank.” His Issaquah-based company was one of four businesses picked to compete in a special veteran-themed episode of the show. Griffin and his partners have been building their company since 2011. They had a few setbacks, such as air strike in Pakistan that led to restrictions on travel in the region. Read More

WEST POINT, NY: February 11, 2016 – The West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) has named the 2016 recipients of the Distinguished Graduate Award.

Since 1992, this annual award has been bestowed upon those West Point graduates whose character, distinguished service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto: “Duty, Honor, Country.”

The awards will be presented in a ceremony at West Point on May 17, 2016. The 2016 Distinguished Graduate Award recipients are: Louis Gross ’54, John Bahnsen Jr. ’56, Joseph Anderson ’65, William Foley ’67, Richard Cody ’72, Keith Alexander ’74.

Read more https://www.westpointaog.org/2016-dga-recipient-announcement

Sirqul, Inc., a leading platform in rapid application development for Internet of Things (IoT) and Connected Devices, announced that veteran executive Luis Cifuentes has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer. Cifuentes was most recently Head of Sales for North America FBA at Amazon.com, responsible for accelerating adoption and growth of Amazon Fulfillment Services. In this capacity, he led a team of sales and customer success professionals increasing units shipped from strategic Sellers by +196% YoY and increasing sales from new Sellers using FBA by 110%.

At Sirqul, Cifuentes leads all B2B and customer-facing departments including licensing, professional services, product development, operations, sales and customer success. Cifuentes will bring a combination of extensive sales experience, operations improvement and global go-to-market expertise to his work in ensuring Sirqul's customer success initiatives. Having driven growth strategies for Dell previously, Cifuentes will also focus on fueling Sirqul's continued expansion into Asia and the Americas, as more ODMs and Brands license Sirqul's "white-label" platform offerings. Read More

The Army formally welcomed its 44th surgeon general, Tuesday. Nadja West made history as the first African American to serve as the service’s surgeon general. She’s been in office since December 2015. During the ceremony, West was promoted to lieutenant general. An orphan, West is the first black woman to hold the rank of lieutenant general and the highest-ranking woman of any race to graduate from West Point. “She has performed brilliantly in the two months she’s been the surgeon general, and I can personally attest to that,” said Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley. West said one of her priorities on her new job will be to ensure the Performance Triad continues to prosper. The initiative focuses on sleep, nutrition and activity as key factors to help soldiers stay at peak performance. Read More

The Standard announced that Todd Johnston has been named vice president of Customer Service and Shared Services. Johnston’s responsibilities at The Standard include leading teams responsible for policyholder and customer service and support functions, as well as all shared services supporting the Employee Benefits business unit. Johnston has more than 16 years of experience in financial services. Most recently he served as vice president of Life and Annuities New Business at Genworth Financial. Prior to that, he was vice president of Long Term Care New Business and director of Process Excellence at Genworth. He also spent six years in various operations and analytics roles at Capital One. Johnston is a veteran of the U.S. Army where he commanded explosive ordnance disposal units deploying all over the world. “Todd is an engaging leader and a forward-thinking customer advocate who understands the value of relationships,” said Dan McMillan, vice president of Employee Benefits at The Standard. “His industry expertise and passion for developing people make him a strong addition to our senior leadership team.” Johnston received his MBA from the University of North Carolina. Read More

Toys“R”Us, Inc. announced the promotion of Joe Venezia to Executive Vice President, Global Store Operations, effective February 22. In this newly elevated role, Mr. Venezia will continue to be responsible for delivering an exceptional shopping experience across the company’s more than 850 Toys“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us® stores nationwide, with expanded responsibilities for providing strategic direction and support for Global Store Operations. This includes leading global initiatives and facilitating best practices in the operations area. He will serve as a member of the company’s Global Leadership Team. “Since joining Toys“R”Us two years ago, Joe has played a critical role in our transformation process, leading efforts to drive the business forward and deliver consistent operational execution across all stores, as well as improving customer satisfaction and developing a strong store operations team,” said Mr. Brandon. “I’m proud to have Joe as a leader on my team and believe his guidance will be an asset as we seek to grow our brands globally and create a world-class shopping experience for our customers.”

Mr. Venezia joined Toys“R”Us, Inc. in February 2014 as Senior Vice President, Store Operations. Earlier in his career, he held key operations and management positions at The Pantry, Walmart U.S., Wells Fargo Merchant Services and Procter & Gamble. Mr. Venezia also served as an Airborne Ranger Officer in the U.S. Army Infantry for nine years and was deployed abroad three times, receiving a Bronze Star Medal for demonstrated bravery during Operation Desert Storm. Read More

U.S. PATENT AWARDED: Gun - Launched Anchor Projectile for Climbing. 1LTs Ryan Freitag, Cameron Martin, Patrick Coe, Kevin Lucas, Brian Walter, and Chris Knittle – members of the Mechanical Engineering program Service Academy Design Challenge team in 2012, were awarded U.S. Patent # 9,074,856 B1 effective 7 July 2015. The team, led by advisor LTC Mike Benson, Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, developed an M203 launched climbing system that deploys a tungsten - tipped projectile and hammer system that could embed into reinforced concrete. A leader line from the back of the anchor allows a climbing rope to pull through, and the team used the system to ascend a 90 - ft concrete silo during the competition. The new system provides a potential alternative to the ladder – which remains the Army solution to ascending vertical obstacles for maneuver access from ground locations. The team collaborated with the Army Research Lab, including the penetration testing of reinforced concrete, developing a stable projectile that effectively created the system anchor. Efforts are underway to reward the team members with a fiscal prize in accordance with Army Regulation.

STORE Capital an internally managed net-lease real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in Single Tenant Operational Real Estate, announced the appointment of Einar A. Seadler to its Board of Directors. Mr. Seadler will serve on the Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Seadler is currently a managing director of Accenture Strategy, an operating unit of Accenture PLC, which he joined in 2008. His responsibilities include advising senior executives of Fortune 500 companies on increasing shareholder value, primarily in the consumer, retail, fast food dining, services, technology, industrial, infrastructure and governmental sectors. Previously, he had served in similar roles with McKinsey & Company’s Operations Strategy Practice, advising Fortune 500 senior executives in business and operational strategies to improve financial performance. Mr. Seadler has also served in senior executive roles in telecommunications and retail operations. Mr. Seadler began his career as a United States Army Infantry officer in various command and staff assignments and served as an associate professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Mr. Seadler received a Master of Science degree from Cornell University. Read More

Robert D. Boyd honored among Georgia Super Lawyers for 2016 in the area of family law. Boyd, who has been included in the guide annually since 2004. Only five percent of the lawyers in Georgia are selected as Super Lawyers, and no more than 2.5 percent are named as Rising Stars. The complete list of honorees is available today at http://www.superlawyers.com/georgia. Additionally, Boyd is recognized among the Top 10 List of all Georgia Super Lawyers. These accolades are impressive, considering the selection process evaluates outstanding lawyers throughout Georgia from more than 70 practice areas. Boyd, Collar and Nolen have been ranked by Georgia Super Lawyers for 13 consecutive years. The selections for Super Lawyers are made by Law & Politics, a division of Key Professional Media, Inc. of Minneapolis, MN Each year, Law & Politics undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the Law & Politics’ attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.

The story of the 5th Marine Regiment in World War I is now available, it will be published in March. More than 8,000 men served in the Fifth Marine Regiment of the U.S. Army’s Second Infantry Division during World War I and the occupation of Germany. Marine units were among the first to arrive in war-torn Europe in 1917, and sustained greater casualties than other American units. This book tells the human story of the "Devil Dogs" in World War I and the years following through the recollections of veterans recorded over the past century. The influenza epidemic that raged during the war is discussed. An annotated roster of the regiment lists each Marine, with service details provided where known.