As Chairman of the Niagara Military Affairs Council (NIMAC) in Western New York, John Cooper, Sr. has been a key figure in connecting military and civilian communities for nearly 30 years. His tireless advocacy for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS) has safeguarded thousands of jobs and secured hundreds of millions of dollars in federal investments, ensuring the base’s long-term viability and improving overall living conditions for military personnel and their families. Cooper played an instrumental role in preventing the closure of NFARS during the 1995 and 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) processes. He led numerous trips to Capitol Hill and the Pentagon and educated local communities on the consequences of base closures, prompting the unprecedented submission of over 125,000 letters to the BRAC Commission. Through his leadership, NFARS has benefitted from crucial facility upgrades, the addition of key tenant units and the alignment of the base’s mission with U.S. Air Force’s strategic objectives. Within the community, Cooper took on the role of Honorary Civilian Chairman of the Thunder of Niagara Airshow. He gathered sponsors and community support to bring top-tier performances and displays to the event, fostering community pride and engagement as well as creating an opportunity for families to connect with the base. Cooper’s unwavering commitment has fortified the connection between NFARS and the broader community, enhancing the quality of life for service members and their families while ensuring the base’s continued role in national defense.

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For seven years, Dan Rhoades has been the Chief Operations Officer of the 21st Century Partnership, a regional organization dedicated to strengthening connections between Robins Air Force Base and its surrounding community. Through this role and his involvement in various other organizations including the Association of Defense communities, Museum of Aviation foundation, NDIA- Georgia, Public Policy Council for Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce, Rhodes has made a lasting impact on his community. His work has centered on building partnerships that enhance the quality of life for military families and supporting vital programs that benefit the community and the installations. Rhoades also played a pivotal role in passing HB880, a significant piece of legislation that ensures military spouses across the nation receive the recognition and support they deserve. His dedication in bridging the gap between military families and state legislators helped make a difference in countless lives across the country. 

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Omar Jones is a United States Army Lieutenant General serving as the commanding general of the US Army Installation Management Command since 2022.

Taking on leadership roles throughout the entirety of his career, LTG Jones has served as a platoon leader, brigade commander, and Deputy Commanding General across several stations, including deployments to the Mexican border, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, and Kuwait. Before taking command of Installation Management Command (IMCOM) in 2022, LTG Jones commanded the US Army’s Military District of Washington, working with the DoD on multiple National Special Security Events.

LTG Jones has spoken at multiple ADC events to offer insight on key topics, including the value of military-community partnerships. In 2023 and 2024, LTG Jones spoke on the Installation Innovation Forum’s main stage during the opening general session.

Mike Boyd currently serves as Chairman of Housley Communications Inc. and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, among other organizations, and has been a cornerstone of the San Angelo community for decades. After holding command positions in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Boyd retired at the rank of Colonel and with a reputation of generosity and compassion. With a rich career spanning banking, public service, and military leadership, Boyd’s genuine care for and dedication to improving the lives of service members at Goodfellow Air Force Base has left a lasting impact. He personally coordinated the donation and delivery of over 10,000 disposable surgical masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and meticulously personalized letters in hundreds of care packages for isolated personnel. Guided by the principle that every individual matters, Boyd has been the principal advocate for the needs of the Goodfellow Airforce Base. He personally visited an Army detachment on Goodfellow Air Force Base, where he glimpsed firsthand of the service members’ and cadre’s struggles. Within weeks of learning of these challenges, he secured two ice machines, a portable command building, and a brand-new Utility Terrain Vehicle to better support training operations. Boyd’s efforts have earned San Angelo the prestigious Altus Trophy three times, recognizing it as a model defense community with tight community-military bonds.

Michael Cooper has been a steadfast advocate for the defense community in Enid, Oklahoma for decades, with over 35 years of service connected to Vance Air Force Base. As the former Mayor of Enid and current Executive Director of the Vance Development Authority, Cooper has been instrumental in protecting Vance AFB through strategic partnerships at the local, state and federal levels. Cooper’s leadership secured over $250 million in military construction projects, developed infrastructure such as the Woodring Airport Runway expansion, and established funding for a new Eisenhower elementary school on Vance AFB. He advocated for legislation and policies to assist local defense communities, passing the nation’s strongest Airspace Protection legislation and allowing for the permanent protection of vital military routes and technology. His contributions greatly expanded accessibility to higher education for both military members and the local community, from four-year degree options to scholarship programs and tuition assistance for both military and family members. Cooper’s unwavering dedication to Vance AFB and his long-standing leadership in national defense initiatives have made him a pillar of the defense community. 

As the Mayor of Havelock, NC, for 19 years, Lewis has made a profound impact on his community. Lewis has leveraged his relationships with community and installation leaders to improve education, efficiency in STEM, and communication. His efforts to reach out to veteran communities and attend community events concerning his constituents often result in a sixty-hour work week.

As President of Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow (ACT), an organization initially meant to save the Fleet Readiness Center-East (FRC-E) during BRAC, Lewis facilitated the organization’s transition to a nonprofit. Since the transition, the ACT has uplifted the Marine Corps Air Station while creating new possibilities for all within the area.  ACT now addresses municipal and military needs through collaborative and synergetic initiatives, including expanding access to a premier college engineering curriculum, increasing employment opportunities at FRC-E, and strengthening ties between military installations and local communities by providing scholarships for transitioning veterans.

Larry Parks served in the Army for 31 years as a Command Sergeant Major, and his commitment to service did not stop after retirement. He now works as the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Lawton, where he strives to uplift and include all families arriving in the Lawton-Fort Still community. In his role, Parks championed the creation of inclusive playgrounds for children and was instrumental in the creation of 9 ADA-compliant playgrounds across the city of Lawton. Parks’ passion for recreation led him to work tirelessly on a variety of community support projects. He was key in securing an expanded budget of one million dollars and a SPARK grant to continue the development of inclusive playgrounds and fun spaces for children. Parks attends all Newcomers Briefs at the Welcome Center to encourage participation in the various activities he leads through the Parks and Recreation Department, ensuring that families in the Lawton-Fort Still community thrive. Parks’ impact on his community is profound and he continues to work hard to lift the morale of the City of Lawton.

Since he became President and CEO of Port San Antonio in 2018, the 1,900-acre technology campus—site of the former Kelly Air Force Base—has become one of America’s largest and fastest-growing innovation destinations.

Much more than a real estate redevelopment, Perschbach has ensured that his team is focused on building a community that is uniquely positioned to connect people from near and far with life-changing opportunities, whether it is in their careers, their educational paths or as entrepreneurs.

During his watch, employers on the Port campus have added over 8,000 new jobs, for a total on-site employment base of 18,000 today. During that time period, the organization also built over 750,000 square feet of new facilities. Among them have been industrial and commercial spaces to support the expansion of the organization’s target industries: aerospace, cybersecurity, national defense, space exploration and an array of advanced technologies. And of equal importance, he has ensured that access to education, and particularly inspiring and developing new generations of talent, remain central to the Port’s mantra of Building Futures.

As such, the Port’s major recent developments include the Boeing Center at Tech Port—a multi-purpose innovation facility that includes a 3,500-seat entertainment and event space; a collaborative tech accelerator lab (operated by Capital Factory); one of the nation’s most modern LAN gaming centers; and AREA 21, a technology museum / showroom, operated by the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology. Combined, these spaces have been a central attraction that brings together people of disparate backgrounds in a shared vision to participate in advancing the industries flourishing on the Port campus, across the nation and around the world.

Moving forward, Perschbach and his team have their eyes on additional transformative developments to further connect people to opportunities. Among them is a ‘vertiport’ facility to further refine, test and deploy upcoming generations of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles; a consolidated complex to support the readiness of the Air Force’s cybersecurity headquarter operations and those of multiple public- and private-sector mission partners; and the region’s most advanced office tower, to support the growth of headquarter and other executive operations by the leading industry names who continue to establish operations and grow on the Port campus.

Since 1996, Charles Potucek has served as the City Manager of Sierra Vista, earning widespread recognition for his commitment to his community. Under Potucek’s leadership Sierra Vista earned the 2016 Community Excellence award from the Association of Deference communities. Potucek ensures that the city staff stay engaged with Fort Huachuca and prioritize advocating for the soldiers and their families, creating a strong partnership between the base and the city. Through the years, Potucek has led several community-based partnerships and initiatives. Some of these initiatives include developing a world –class library, providing ambulance services and increasing medical support to Fort Huachuca, increasing sanitation services, and helping establish a more accurate baseline for available off-post housing. He was also an instrumental part in working with congress to develop section 321 of the National Defense Authorization Act in 2003, providing abilities for the Fort to fund off post projects through the USPP. Potucek’s leadership has left a legacy of collaboration and innovation, ensuring the city of Sierra Vista can be enjoyed by all.

As Base Commander of U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc. Organization Groton Base and Chairman of the New London Veterans Advisory Committee, Steven Ricard coordinates numerous events to recognize and improve the lives of veterans. Within the Southeastern Connecticut community, Ricard plans all aspects of Memorial Services to honor and recognize fallen and living Veterans. With a passion for mentoring students, he is an active participant at the Naval Submarine School. There he works to coordinate the SUBVETS volunteers who mentor graduates and pass on history and traditions. Ricard also leads the USSVIA Groton Base Thanksgiving program, feeding service providers and the community at large. As a member of the Veterans Advisory Committee, he actively advocates for veterans and their families to receive the benefits they deserve and works on outreach and education efforts for communities and families across the nation. 

Kevin Sullivan is a retired Air Force Major General who has dedicated his post-military career to supporting Utah’s defense communities. As Executive Director of Utah Defense Alliance and former Vice Chairman of TOUMAC, he has tirelessly fostered relationships between civilian and military communities. Sullivan chairs the Hill Aerospace Education Foundation, which supports the Hill AFB museum through educational programs. His leadership secured $22M for a major museum expansion, increasing exhibition space by 70%. Through the UDA, Sullivan facilitated over $21M in state funding for an F-35 software facility at Hill AFB. He plays a key role in shaping Utah’s federal legislative strategy for military affairs, focusing on servicemember quality of life and mission enhancement. Sullivan’s efforts have led to significant improvements in programs and services at Hill AFB. 

At 80 years young, Vietnam Veteran and retired Major General John Tindall has devoted his life both in and out of uniform to serving military families.  After returning from Vietnam and joining the Army Reserve, Tindall became a prominent business leader in the Greater Fort Knox Region, where he serves organizations that directly impact military families’ quality of life. From the local water district to the healthcare foundation to economic and community development agencies, Tindall always keeps military families at the forefront, but his service to families extends far beyond the Fort Knox region. In early 2003, Tindall and small group of retired military leaders formed a local non-profit called Kentuckiana Cares to aid local families of deployed service members who were facing financial struggles. That organization is now a highly respected national non-profit called USA Cares that grants out millions of dollars annually to military families in financial crisis.

As the Program Director of the Kentucky Environmental Foundation, Craig Williams dedicated his career to safely eliminating chemical weapons. In 1984 when the U.S. army initiated a plan to incinerate the nation’s chemical weapons, Williams’s work began. He started by organizing local community meetings and his passion for this subject has only grown. In July 2023 he accomplished many of the goals he originally set out to do, including making history by fulfilling America’s commitments to the International Chemical Weapons Convention. Williams founded the Chemical Weapons Working Group in 1990, bringing together leaders from Kentucky and other U.S. cities where chemical weapons were stored. In Kentucky, the Chemical Weapons Working Group eventually grew to be known as the Richmond Area (Madison County) Kentucky Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Board. Williams sits as the chair of this organization. Throughout his career, Williams has worked closely with the U.S. Army, local Congresspeople and State Senators in the fight to protect communities from the effects of harmful chemical weapons destruction. Due to Williams’s advocacy, Kentucky fulfilled milestones for our nation by upholding international agreements, protecting communities and promoting safer ways to destroy chemical weapons. Williams’s fight for the safe destruction of chemical weapons was long and tireless, however, it displays his dedication to his community, the United States and the environment. 

For decades, Pam Younker has been a tireless advocate for the military community in Cobb County, Georgia. As a long-time leader with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s military initiatives, she has bridged the gap between civilian and military sectors, fostering relationships and supporting service members, especially during transitions to civilian life. Others describe Younker as embodying strength, courage, commitment, and service before self. Younker’s efforts have earned her prestigious recognition including the “Best of the Best” award from Dobbins ARB and the Marietta Citizen of the Year Award.  Her compassionate support for military families has been exemplified through her work with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where she has gone above and beyond to ensure their needs are met during difficult times. Younker’s unwavering commitment to the defense community has made her a true champion, earning her appointments as a Civic Leader for the Air Force.