Board of Directors

Meet our Board Members

Paul chapa

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

Scott Setter

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.

Jeremiah bull

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.

LtCol Mark McMahon

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

Colonel Kevin E. Clark

board member

Colonel Kevin Clark enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1989.  Following Recruit Training, Marine Combat Training, and the School of Infantry, he augmented Anti-Tank Co, 2d Tank Battalion as a TOW Gunner and deployed in support of Operation DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM.  While in the Reserve Component, he attained the rank of sergeant and served as a squad leader with Tow Platoon, HQ Company, 24th Marines and as a Reserve Recruiter Aide with Recruiting Station, Kansas City.  Upon graduating from the University of Missouri, Kansas City in 1995, he commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Course and became an infantry officer.  

From 1996-1999, he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer in 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, and deployed to Panama and Okinawa, Japan.  From 2003-2004, he served as a Rifle Company Commander with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines and deployed to Okinawa, Japan and Port au Prince, Haiti.  In Haiti, he participated in Operation SECURE TOMORROW to restore order in the wake of a coup.  From 2004-2006, he served as Assistant Operations Officer, Regimental Combat Team 8 and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF).  In Fallujah, he served for one year as Iraqi Security Force Director to stand up an Iraqi Police Force and build capacity in multiple Iraqi Army formations.  From 2007-2008, he served as Battalion Executive Officer, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines and deployed to Haditha, Iraq in support of OIF.  From 2010-2011 he served as Future Operations Officer, 2nd Marine Division (FWD) and deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF).  He commanded 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines from 2011-2014 and again deployed to Helmand Province in support of OEF.  From 2018-2020, he commanded 1st Marine Regiment where he served as the MAGTF Commander for multiple joint and combined exercises and as the Ground Combat Element Commander for Exercise NATIVE FURY in the United Arab Emirates. 

His supporting establishment tours include: Company Commander and Aide de Camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego (1999-2002) and Inspector-Instructor, Little Rock, Arkansas (2006-2009).  

He completed a joint assignment with U.S. Strategic Command (2015-2018) serving as a Branch Chief in the Plans & Policy Directorate; Deputy Executive Assistant to the Commander; and Deputy Director for the Commander’s Action Group. From 2020-2024, he served as Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Detachment, Fort Leavenworth, and Director of the Marine Corps Element, Command and General Staff College.

In addition to The Basic School and the Infantry Officers Course, Colonel Clark is a graduate of the Summer Mountain Leader Course, Jungle Warfare School, Expeditionary Warfare School, and U.S. Army Command & General Staff College.  In 2015, he completed a Fellowship in International Security Studies at Yale University.  

Colonel Clark is married to the former Elizabeth (Beth) Tate of Kansas City, Missouri.  Together, they have three children. 

His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit with gold star, Bronze Star Medal with valor device and two gold stars, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon with two gold stars.