PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Hershel Gober & Associates

Manager of a Service Disabled Veteran owned small business.• Consult with clients who wish to do business withthe Federal Government.• Advise clients in areas of Federal procurement,regulations, and legislation.• Assist clients in setting up meetings with Federalofficials.• Represent clients before Government Depart-ments and Agencies and members of Congress.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Force Management and Personnel Department of the Air Force - The Pentagon, Washington, DC

Nominated by the President and appointed by the Secretary of the Air Force to provide guidance, direction, and oversight of plans and programs affecting Military and Civilian Personnel, Military Health Care, and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.• Member, Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) Board of Directors: Eighth largestretailer in U. S. with 3,000 stores worldwide.• Member, Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) Board of Directors: Over 300 grocery storesworldwide serving military members and their families. Provides savings of 27% on food bills.

General Counsel U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Washington, DC

Nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate as the Chief Legal Officer of the second largest Federal Cabinet Department. Hands-on manager of all Department legal activities includ-ing a 702-person nationwide legal staff and an annual operating budget of 46 million dollars.• Issued 103 precedent opinions on Department issues including, but not limited to, veteransbene-fits, medical malpractice, contracts, and health care-related claims.• Personally coordinated and participated in the drafting of the Department’s section of the Presi-dent’s 1994 health care reform legislation.• Promoted and assisted in implementation of the complete reorganization of the GeneralCounsel field staff. Streamlined DYA’s legal operations from 52 to 23 offices nationwiderepresenting a potential Government savings of 6.1 million dollars over 5 years.• Initiated (prior to the President’s mandate) and directed Department-wide regulatory

Mary Lou Keener Chairwoman

reform project.• Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) efforts in Department by furthering

educational initiatives and ADR client activities among legal staff across the country.

Certified Mediator, Supreme Court of Virginia

Mediator, DC Superior Court Multi-Door Program, Small Claims Division

Practicing Attorney - Atlanta, GA

Keener & Associates Independent trial law practice with an emphasis on medical malpractice and health related claims. Conducted all phases of medical malpractice litigation. Managed hundreds of Dalkon Shield claims in class action lawsuit. Personally coordinated all claims preparation and presentation. Sought out by other firms to assist with medical malpractice trial preparation.

Butler & McDonald Responsible for preparing all medical malpractice cases for trial including discovery, motions, and witness preparation. Assisted senior partner in voir dire and as second chair in several trials resulting in significant verdicts for the Plaintiff.

Mack, Caldwell, Steckel & Nelson Labor and Employment Law, Associate

Executive Director Georgia Nurses Association

Responsible for management of statewide professional nursing association.• Reversed negative membership trend.• Restructured headquarters’ organization and staff; rejuvenated legislative, public affairs, and by-laws committees.• Developed grant proposal and obtained $250,000 grant for new GNA Headquarters buildingfrom the Atlanta Woodruff Foundation.• Initiated lobbying effort and established GNA presence at the State Capital by hiring the first,full-time lobbyist; also, hired the first Economic and General Welfare staff person to represent nurs-es in labor union activities and contract negotiations.

Assistant Professor Georgia State University Provided clinical and didactic instruction to students in baccalaureate nursing program.

Congressional Staff Caseworker Staff Office of Congressman D.W. Riegle, Jr. - Washington, DC• Independently managed all constituent casework.

EDUCATION:

Juris Doctorate (J.D.) Catholic University of America Washington, DC• Law Review Note Editor.

• Winner, 1980 National Moot Court Regional Competition.

Masters Degree in Nursing (M.N.) Emory University Atlanta, GA• Major in Community Health Nursing, minor in Mental Health.• Designed, conducted, and published research study on Community Mental Health.

Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (B.S.N) Catholic University of America Washington, DC

BAR ADMISSIONS:• State Bar of Georgia• Maryland State Bar• District of Columbia

MILITARY SERVICE:

United States Navy -Active Duty Staff and charge nurse

• U.S.S. Naval Hospital -Philadelphia, PA• U.S.S. Repose -South Vietnam

United States Air Force Active Duty• Activated for three months in support of Operation Desert Storm at Eglin AirForce Base, FL

United States AF Reserves Flight Nurse

• Dobbins AFB, GA• Andrews AFB, MD

Mobilization Augmentee• Chief Nurse, Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews Air Force Base, MD• U.S.A.F. Chief Nurse, Bolling AFB, DC• Retired, Colonel, USAFR

AWARDS AND APPOINTMENTS:• Board of Directors, Army and Air Force Exchange Service• Board of Directors, Defense Commissary Agency• Department of Veterans Affairs Exceptional Service Award• Catholic University of America Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Achievementin the Field of Law and the Courts• Salute to Nurses in Congress and the Executive Branch by the American Nurses Associa-tion and the American Association of Nurse Executives

• Agent Orange Class Assistance Program Advisory Board• Trustee, Vietnam Veterans Institute• State Bar of Georgia, Medico-Legal Conference Committee• Board of Directors, Georgia Underwriting Association• Georgia Governor’s Commission on Obstetrics• Board of Directors, Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association• Chairman, Georgia Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program• Department of the Air Force Exceptional Service Award• Board of Directors, Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation

Bruce McKenty is a 1970 graduate of Texas A&M University where he received a Bachelor of Arts de-gree and his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Field Artillery. Upon entry onto active duty he completed his Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK and went on to flight school in route to his first assignment – Vietnam, where he was assigned to F Troop, 1/9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division at Bien Hoa as an AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter pilot. During his tour he was wounded twice and has the unique distinction of being one of a small handful of Army helicopter pilots who survived being shot down with an SA-7 heat seeking missile. During his tour he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, Two Purple Hearts, and numerous Air Medals, with three being awarded for valor.

Bruce went on to spend 21 years in the Army serving in various command and staff assignments in Field Artillery and Aviation, and retired in 1991 as a Lieutenant Colonel. During his Army career he earned a Master of Science from the University of Southern California in 1984 and in 1986 graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. After his retirement from the Army, Bruce was a general contractor in the greater Seattle/Tacoma area until his final retirement in 2001.

In 2002 he joined the Military Order of the Purple Heart and discovered one of his greatest pas-sions, that of being a volunteer service officer for his local chapter, assisting all veterans to receive their rightful benefits from the Veterans Administration and other government agencies. In 2004 he discovered a new passion as a volunteer at the local VA golf course. The American Lake Vet-erans Golf Course located at the American Lake VA Hospital in Lakewood, Washington lost all federal funding in 1995. That year, a group of veterans petitioned the VA to keep the golf course operating with only volunteers and public donations. It has not only survived but continues to im-prove through the commitment and dedication of volunteers like Bruce, who is now the Manager of the American Lakes Golf Course.

Since joining The Order in 2002 Bruce has been the adjutant, finance officer, and service officer at chapter and department levels, was elected four times as Department Commander and twice as the Commander of National Region III. In 2010, he advanced to the leadership of the National organization and was elected this year to the position of National Commander. Bruce and his wife Francine reside in Lakewood, Washington.

Bruce G. McKentyVice President

Jim Blaylock grew up in a family of nine children on a family farm in Albany, Georgia. He was educated in the Dougherty County Public School System. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in business from Albany State University, and a Master’s degree in business management from Georgia State Uni-versity in Atlanta.

He served with the Marine Corps in Vietnam. He served as a local, state, region, and National Com-mander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart; as a past-president of the Purple Heart Foundation and a founding board member of the Georgia Vet-erans Leadership Program. He is a past chairman and two-term member of the Georgia Veterans Service Board, an appointment bestowed by two (2) successive Georgia governors.

Following employment as an Admissions Counselor at Albany State (College) University, Jim began a career working in the Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service for the Department of Veter-ans Affairs (VA), a program specializing in the provision of therapeutic, rehabilitative and adaptive equipment for Veterans who require external devices and implants to improve mobility, function and increased independence in activities of daily living. He is the first VA Recipient of the Nation-al Chief-of-the-Year-for-Prosthetics-Award and twice recipient of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs “Scissors Award” {for cutting red tape}; he managed a budget exceeding $157 million annually as the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN-7) Program Manager. He was a member of the VA’s Under Secretary of Health’s National Diversity Advisory Board. He retired from the VA in 2014.

In addition to the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Purple Heart Foundation, Jim is a member of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Marine Corps League, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society, Kappa Alpha Psi National Fraternity and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

James. M. BlaylockSecretary

With a promise to work for the “Good of the Order”, James D. Randles was sworn in as National Commander at the 73rd National Convention of the Military Order of the Pur-ple Heart in Springfield, Missouri on August 20, 2005. Randles is the third Patriot to be sworn in as National Commander from the state of Georgia. He established as his motto for the 2005 -2006 term the phrase “NEVER GIVE UP”. As Commander of the august body in front of whom he stood, he expressed that the motto was reflective of his life’s philosophy when ‘taking on rolls with challenges that are literally larger than me’.

Randles was born and raised in Ashland, Oregon. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation from the University of Nevada with a degree in education. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1987, after 20 years of service. While on active duty, Randles served in various post around the world but most notably refers to his stint as Troop Com-mander of G Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam. Included in his numerous awards and decorations are a Bronze Star for Valor earned in Vietnam, the Purple Heart, two(2) more Bronze Stars, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, three(3) Meritorious Service Medals, three(3) Army Commendation Medals, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnamese Armor Badge.

Randles was evacuated to Madigan Army Hospital in Fort Lewis, Washington for treat-ment of injuries during his Vietnam tour. He ended his Army career at the Readiness Group Atlanta, and he and his wife of 32 years, Jerolyn, decided to remain in the Atlanta area. They are the proud parents of a daughter, Jerolyn Nichole Redstrom who also resides in the Atlanta area.

James RandlesBoard Member

Joseph R. Hems served in the Army during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. Hems, who is from North Brunswick, New Jersey was wound-ed in action while in Korea.

On September 14, just weeks after his assignment as an automatic rifleman with an attacking infan-try unit, he suffered multiple head and shrapnel wounds from enemy mortar fire. He was wounded in the Battle of Pusan Perimeter and received a Pur-ple Heart. He served until February 1952.

Joseph reorganized the Military Order of the Purple Heart Organization in New Jersey and received nu-merous awards for recruitment, growth and devel-opment within the organization. He served as Chapter and State Commander and was elected as National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart for the year 1991-1992. Order of the Purple Heart for the year 1991-1992.

Joseph and his wife, Harriet and their family have been residents of North Brunswick for 51 years. He has participated in many community activities, including Pop Warner Football and the North Brunswick High School Booster Club.

Joseph R. HemsBoard Member

Kristy has over 30 years of institutional trust banking experience. She specializes in custom-izing banking service models for complex and/or unusual client situations and has an extensive background managing administrative functions associated with internal and external audit and regulatory and compliance requirements. Her primary responsibilities include overseeing relationship management activity associated with delivering client service and generating new clients nationally for custody / safekeeping, securities lending, asset management, and trust services. Client and prospect base oversight includes directed trustee, corporate, employ-ee benefit plan, public / government, Taft-Hartley, foundations/endowments, health care, insurance, and other institutional trust arrangements.

Kristy attended DeVry Institute of Technology for Business and System Analysis. She is an active member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and a regular attendee at the Western Pension & Benefits Conference, as well as a past officer / member of the American Business Women’s Association, Las Vegas Centennial Chapter.

Kristy PerezBoard Member

Brian Wrubel is the chief executive officer and president for Marquette Associates. An owner of the firm, Brian has been with the company since 1989. In addition to leading Marquette, Brian heads up the public fund and Taft-Hartley prac-tice areas. He remains the primary investment consultant on several of the firm’s key relation-ships and has been a featured speaker at various conferences.

He holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and is a graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business CMI program.

Brian serves as board chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chicago and on the board of the Francis W. Parker Investment Committee. He is also a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Economic Club of Chicago.

Brian Wrubel Board Member

James (Jimmy) Mitchell is the National Director of Asset Management Relationship Develop-ment, located in our Chicago, Illinois office. Jim has served the Taft-Hartley community for over 29 years and is experienced with the cus-tomized asset management, trust and custody and banking needs of the Labor community.

Prior to joining BMO Taft-Hartley Services, Jim worked at Northern Trust as a National Director of the Taft-Hartley Investment Client Solutions Group. He also worked at Inter-Lo-cal Pension Fund, Graphic Communication Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as the Executive Director, Automobile Mechanics Local 701 as the Controller, and Thomas Harvey, LLP as a Supervisor.

He graduated from Dominican University with a degree in Business Administration and Accounting. He is a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Illinois CPA Society and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

James Mitchell Board Member

Peter Palandjian was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. He is the son of the founders of Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation, Petros A. Palandjian, and his wife, Sheila Kelly. The former tennis superstar attended Phillips Academy. After he graduated from the institution, he proceeded to study at Harvard University, where he bagged a degree in English and American literature. His passion for tennis was evident during his days at Harvard, where he captained Harvard’s team twice and also featured as the team’s top player in the NCAA championship. During the 1986 NCAA championships, the then-22-year-old defeated Pat McEnroe.

The business mogul became a pro tennis player in 1987, shortly after he graduated from Harvard. Then, he made notable appearances in several Grand Prix competitions both in single and double categories. During this period, he also recorded huge victories against well-established tennis star players like Ri-cardo Acuna, Jay Lapidus, and Mark Dickson.

Moreover, in his professional career spanning over three years, the business mogul won, in doubles, six ATP tour challenger titles. Apart from that, at three Grand Slam events, the star player also featured in the men’s doubles as well as in the US Open, Wimbledon Championship, and French Open. On the 10th of July, 1989, Palandjian ranked No. 175 in the men’s doubles, which is his highest ranking as far as his tennis career is concerned. However, later the same year, he retired from the game.

As a one-time professional tennis player, how he transitioned from a great tennis career into a success-ful real estate business has paid off in respect. Peter Palandjian is admired for the achievements he has recorded as a real estate investor over the years. Currently, the business mogul sits as the CEO of Inter-continental Real Estate Corporation.

The company, located in Boston, operates as a private equity firm. It also offers portfolio management, real estate investment, and consulting services to clients based in the United States. Under Peter’s leader-ship, the company has made a significant impact in the real estate sector.

Peter Palandjian’s wife, Eliza Dushku, is an actress and businesswoman, who is well known for her role in the movie “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” She is also the founder and CEO of Boston Divas production and currently serves as a member of the board of directors of THRIVEGulu organisation.

Peter Palandjian