Meet The Team

Entrepreneur

New York

President, Vanguard Plastics

Connecticut

Chairman, Stevens Aerospace

Connecticut

USSOCOM (ret.)

North Carolina

Commander (ret.), USSOCOM

Colorado

Virginia

Master of the Swords, USMA 

Chair, USO North Carolina

Thayer Leader Development Group

North Carolina

Entrepreneur

Washington

President & CEO, Walsingham Group, Inc.

North Carolina

President, Tenax Aerospace

Virginia

32nd Chief of Staff (ret.)

United States Army

Virginia

Business Consultant;

Served 82 ABN, RHF Board 

Georgia

Governor NJ (1994-2001)

Administrator, EPA (2001-2003)

New Jersey/New York

RHF’s Fundraising Committee member and one of RHF’s founding board members. Darren is the recently retired Founder of Alpine Training Services. ATS is a leading international specialty rigging (design/ build) & training company. For 20 years he served as the Chief Visionary Designer, Licensee & Business Developer for the Hit TV shows such as “American Ninja Warrior,” “Ultimate Beast Master,” “Titan Games” etc., also, stunt based games for shows like “ The Amazing Race,” “The Biggest Loser,” “Big Brother” and many more. Additionally, he serves as an advisor to the board for the Peak Rescue Institute and was previously a professional wild land firefighter.

RHF’s Finance Committee member and Rick Herrema’s father. He has been VP and Treasurer of Great Lakes Painting and Decorating Inc. for 30 years. He has served as an elder at Forest Grove Christian Reformed Church for the last 9 years and Treasurer for 3 years and Chairmen of the building and grounds committee. Dick is also a board member at Hudsonville Christian School and a member of the building and grounds committee.

Vice President, Executive Committee and Fundraising Committee Co-Chair. Joanie is an entrepreneurial thought leader focused on the intersection of innovation, technology, and national security.  She is the co-founder of Strategic Link Partners.  An international Eisenhower Fellow, Joanie serves as a Trustee on the National Small Business Association and on the Boards of Advisors for Innovate-Educate and The National TRUST Center, a not-for-profit focused on economic security she founded.  

Joe is a Lieutenant Colonel with 20 years of active duty service, 16 of which have been with Army Special Operations Forces.  Army life has taken Joe and his wife Patty to duty stations in Europe and across the US, where they have weathered many peacekeeping and combat deployments while raising their 5 kids.  Joe worked side by side with Rick Herrema in the 101st Airborne Division, and is honored to serve the vision of RHF by helping to create a sanctuary in Fayetteville where families like his can come to find respite and renewal.

Building Committee member. A graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point (Engineering) and the University of Texas-Austin’s McCombs School of Business (MBA), John is an active-duty soldier. He, his wife, and four children serve military families through helping improve Rick’s Place infrastructure.  

Treasurer and CFO, is an active duty military spouse. As a family, they have endured more than a dozen combat deployments. She is a beloved wife, friend and mother to two young daughters. She is also a former Army kid whose late father served in the Vietnam War. She has a degree in accounting and has spent most of her professional career working as an auditor and finance manager for local governments located near Ft. Lewis, WA and Ft. Bragg, NC.

Michael Ecker has over twenty-seven years of accomplishment as a leader with a track record of managing highly complex projects in multi-cultural environments involving senior international executives.  With past corporate experience at Lockheed Martin, Grayhawk Systems (now ManTech), and The Wexford Group (A CACI Company), his accomplishments are extensive.  He has significant experience building and developing successful organizations from nothing with few resources, and stood up the only Army National Guard unit that supports the Joint Special Operations Command.  Michael is a Special Forces Officer who has served in two different Special Mission Units, holds two Master’s Degrees, is a Project Management Professional and specializes in Lean / Agile Tech Product Development.  Michael is conversationally proficient in Spanish, loves the outdoors, and resides in Cary, NC, with his wife and two children.

Currently serving with US Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, NC

BA in History, University of Delaware

MS in Strategic Planning, National War College

30 year Army veteran, multiple combat tours, command at every level from Lieutenant to Colonel

Married, father of eight daughters

Sam, immediate past Board President, currently serves as a consultant to the U.S. Military. He is a U.S. Army veteran who spent his career in Special Operations serving multiple combat tours. Sam is married to author, teacher, and counselor Kathy. They are the parents of nine children and two grandchildren. Sam served with Rick Herrema.  

Fundraising committee Co-Chair. Trabue is an executive in the financial services industry.  He is the President of ICE Futures US, a leading exchange for energy, agricultural and financial products.   Trabue and his family live in New York.