Board of Directors

founder / chairman

For Paul 9/11 was a life-changing event. It was a motivating factor driving him to use his talents in the industry he loves to also serve those who serve our country. Although he never served, many of his family members including his brother, uncles and cousins had served and he felt compelled to find a way to serve and include industry friends.

Retail Patriot Event:

He has now been in the publishing industry more than a quarter century and co-founded the trade magazine Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer in 2009 and still works full time. That year, held his first Retail Patriot event in conjunction with the annual National Frozen Refrigerated Association convention. The Retail Patriot event was designed to honor grocery retailers that have “gone above and beyond” to support our troops and veterans. It was at that first Retail Patriot event in 2009 held in Washington, D.C., that Paul met Marine Col. Marshall Denney. It was this fortuitous meeting that led to his subsequent introduction to Lt. Gen. Jon and Carol Davis.

Heroes Dinners:

Meeting with Lt. Gen. Davis in 2010 at the Marine Corps Ball in Corpus Christi, Texas, generated the idea of creating a Heroes Dinner to honor enlisted servicemen and women and their spouses. Two months after the discussion, the first Heroes Dinner was held at the home of the Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, and Carol Davis, in 2011 in Cherry Point, North Carolina. A 2013 Heroes Dinner with Maj. Gen. Glenn and Gail Walters inspired him to form Food Industry Serving Heroes (FISH), which then received its 501©3 status in 2013. The name was changed in 2016 to Friends In Service of Heroes (FISH) to be more inclusive.

Recognition include:

2013 Marine Corps Foundation Semper

2016 State of Missouri

2017 State of Kansas Proclamation

2019 State of Kansas Proclamation

2019 Kentucky Colonel

2021 Daughters of the American Revolution Distinguished Citizen Award

2021 Inaugural Gen. Larry Oppenheimer Marine Corps League Citizen Award

Secretary

Scott has always been a huge supporter of the armed forces while never having served himself. He values the professionalism the active and retired military members reflect and has gone out of his way to employ eligible retired members. He’s most proud of his 2 grown kids and keeps busy supporting hometown sports teams and musicians.

Director of volunteers

Jeremiah has been serving in the US Army for 20 years and served 2 combat tours in Iraq with 1-25th ID 04-05 and 2 SCR 07-08. He comes from a long lineage of military service to include his brother a decorated war veteran and all of his grandparents back to the Civil War. Jeremiah enlisted shortly after 9/11 and left behind a football scholarship and college to fulfill his calling to serve. He now strives to help his brother and sisters in arms that are struggling to find their place in this world after service.

board member

LtCol (RET) USAF/USMC

Enlisted in the USMC Reserve in February 1984 while I was a student at the University of Kansas. I attended the Platoon Leaders Course in the summer of 1987 and was commissioned in January 1988 after earning my degree in Atmospheric Science. Upon graduation from pilot training I was initially trained as a UH-1N ‘Huey’ pilot, and later qualified in the ‘ AH-1W ‘ Cobra while assigned to MCAS New River. I flew every mission associated with the Huey and Cobra and I deployed with the 24th MEU , participated in Operations Deny Flight, and Provide Promise. I left active duty with the Marines in April 1998 and joined the USMC Reserve flying the AH-1W at NAS JRB New Orleans.

I transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 2010 upon my return from Iraq and was trained in the MQ-1B Predator. I was in the initial cadre of the 20th Attack Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base flying in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn providing ISR and close air support. I subsequently transferred to Holloman AFB as an initial qualification instructor for the MQ-1B.

I retired from the AF in 2014

30 Years, 16 weeks and 5 Days

715 deployed days

1103.6 hours Combat flight time

6000+ hours flight time.

Upon my retirement I resumed my employment at LifeFlight Eagle as an EMS Helicopter Pilot based in Clinton MO.

In 2015 I left LifeFlight and entered into employment as an MQ-9 ‘Reaper ‘ pilot deployed to the overseas providing ISR support to ground forces. I retired for good in 2020

board member

Joined navy in 1979 to 1987 was stationed on both coast only on one ship the USS Ranger aircraft carrier was stationed in key west Florida then just north of LA which was the navy base that president Regan used to fly in to when he went home. Has served with American legion and has held several different positions with in the legion including currently serving as department area east vice commander. Serving our veterans is essential and no one does it with more passion and honor than FISH.