Meet The Team

Entrepreneur

New York

President, Vanguard Plastics

Connecticut

U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) (ret.)

North Carolina

Chief Strategy Officer, Phoenix Global Support

President, Joint Special Operations Association

North Carolina

Deloitte

Virginia

 U.S. Military Academy (West Point) & Duke University, Emeritus

Thayer Leader Development Group

North Carolina

President, Tenax Aerospace

Chief of Staff (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)

Washington, DC/North Carolina

Entrepreneur

Washington

Senior Advisor

US House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Washington, DC

President & CEO, Walsingham Group, Inc.

North Carolina

President, Patriot Foundation

Deputy Commander (ret.), U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)

North Carolina

32nd Chief of Staff (ret.)

United States Army

Virginia

Commanding General (ret.), U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)

North Carolina

Governor of New Jersey (1994-2001)

Administrator, EPA (2001-2003)

New Jersey/New York

One of RHF’s founding board members, he serves on the Executive Committee and Fundraising Committee. 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.

Executive Committee. Founded the original RHF’s Board of Advisors and helped cultivate RHF in its earliest days and continues to lead RHF as our organization matures.  He served with distinction in the US Army before transitioning to civilian life. He is a successful lawyer in New Jersey. His business acumen and civic virtue have helped create numerous successful endeavors for many people across the globe.  He currently co-chairs a $100 million capital campaign for Norwich University.

An active duty soldier who joined the Army before 9/11 and has been overseas multiple times since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He currently serves on the board of directors and he along with his wife and the invaluable assistance of other dedicated supporters founded the Rick Herrema Foundation (RHF).  RHF is dedicated to the memory of Josh’s best friend, Rick Herrema, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. Josh has five children and, as a father and husband, knows first-hand the challenges of full time military service, Josh wanted to create a place that would honor his best friend by creating a retreat for still serving military families where they can come and spend fun, quality time with each other.

Secretary
Landon is local to the Fayetteville community and currently works as a commercial risk specialist in the area. He has grown his business locally and internationally, specializing in the unique needs of defense contractors working around the world. Specifically, with the Defense Base Act. He has a bachelor’s degree in business and financial economics along with an MBA in organizational leadership. Landon previously has worked in non-profit fundraising for a local university where he was part of the leadership team for alumni groups and a $40 million capital campaign. He and his wife have two young children. His passion is connecting RHF to the local Fayetteville community and helping the foundation tell its story of service, family values, and community to the Military Family and beyond.

Michael 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.

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 three grandchildren. Sam served with Rick Herrema.  

President
Executive Committee and 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.