ABOUT: THE VFW FOUNDATION

Mike DeRosa, Chairman

Mike DeRosa is a retired Burger King franchisee and currently serves as Board Chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation.

Mike started with Burger King Corporation (BKC) as a management trainee in 1974. During his 10 years with BKC, he served is a variety of field and corporate positions. In 1984 he became a franchisee with the purchase of an existing Burger King restaurant in Eau Claire Wisconsin in, ultimately developing 17 more units throughout Eau Claire and west central Wisconsin.

During the 35 years Mike was a franchisee he served in a variety of positions in the National Franchise Association (an association of independent Burger King franchisees)., including Secretary, Vice President, and President. He served as Chairman of the Burger King Foundation for four years. He used his restaurant operations skills to chair the NFA’s Operations, Technology and Profitability committee for two separate terms.

He also served his local Eau Claire community as Chairman of the Redevelopment Authority (RDA), a public/private board tasked with revitalizing downtown Eau Claire.

In 2007, Mike became involved with the VFW Foundation’s Unmet Needs Program. Using his long association with his fellow franchisees around the country, he coordinated annual fund raising in over 1,300 franchisee owned BK restaurants. To date BK franchisees are the single largest contributors to Unmet Needs donating more than $7,800,000.

In recognition of his service to veterans, VFW has awarded Mike its Gold Medal of Merit, the James E. Van Zandt Citizenship Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award. In accepting these awards, Mike has made it clear that it’s only through the hard work and dedication of the Burger King franchisees and their restaurant teams that made them possible.

Dan West, Board President

Adjutant General, VFW

Dan West was appointed the Adjutant General of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. on July 21, 2022, at the 123rd VFW National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dan served in the United States Marine Corps from 1983 to 1994, serving in Operation Desert Storm.

He joined the VFW in 1996 at Post 3413 in San Marcos, Texas, where he maintains his Gold Legacy Life membership. He served in elected and appointed positions at the Post, District and Department Levels, culminating with his election as Department Commander in 2015, in which he achieved Triple Crown All-American status.

Dan worked at the Department of Texas VFW for 15 years culminating the last three years as the State Adjutant/Quartermaster. On the national level, he has served as Vice Chair on the National Military Services and Iraq/Afghanistan Committees, as a member of the National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, Veterans and Military Support Committee, a Special Aide-de-Camp, a national certified recruiter, and as a member of the National Council of Administration representing the Department of Texas.

He is a member of the Disabled American Veterans, and the Marine Corps League.

Dan and his wife Beth, reside in Texas.

Marc Garduno, Secretary-Treasurer

Quartermaster General, VFW

Marc Garduno was elected Quartermaster General of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States on March 21, 2022, by special election of the National Council of Administration.

Prior to his election, he held appointed positions as VFW Assistant Quartermaster General and served as a member of the VFW National Legislative Committee and the National Bylaws Study Group.

Marc retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years as a chief warrant officer (CW3), human resources technician, and his assignments included several tours in the Republic of Korea, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the Joint Readiness Training Center headquartered in Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. During his military career, Marc was awarded three Meritorious Service Medals, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, Army Superior Unit Award, three Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

After retiring from the Army in 2008, he held various civilian sector management positions to include several years as a project manager for a Department of Defense contracting company with service at the Joint Personnel Effects Depot, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. He joined VFW Post 8180, Seoul, Korea in 2005, and currently maintains his Gold Legacy Life membership at VFW Post 3238, Camden, Delaware. Marc holds the distinction of being named a Triple Crown All-American Commander and led a VFW Outstanding Community Services Post in 2016.

Marc is a 2021 graduate of Wilmington University where he received a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Wilmington University, and an associate degree in Applied Science from Fayetteville Tech.

He’s a life member of the Military Order of the Cootie, the VFW National Home for Children, and belongs to the Sigma Beta Delta honor society of business, management, and administration students.

Marc and his wife, Hyun Ju, reside in Kansas City, Kansas.

Alfred “Al” Lipphardt, Board Member

Commander-in-Chief, VFW

Al Lipphardt, a proud Georgia native and Vietnam War veteran, was elected as the Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) during the organization’s 125th 2024 National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. His military service in the United States Army spanned from 1965 to 1979, including two tours in Vietnam, where he earned numerous commendations: the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star with Valor device, Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Silver Star and two Bronze Stars, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Medal, and the Vietnam Staff Service Medal First Class.

Since joining the VFW in 2002 as a charter member of Post 12002 in North Fulton, Georgia, Lipphardt has transferred his Gold Legacy Life membership to his current post VFW Post 2667 in Newnan, Georgia, as well as held multiple leadership roles, ultimately serving as the VFW Department of Georgia commander, where he achieved Triple Crown All-American status. His contributions on the national level include serving on the Legislative, National Security and Foreign Affairs Committees.

Beyond the VFW, Lipphardt is a VFW Foundation board member, an inductee to the United States Army Officer Candidate School Alumni Association Hall of Fame, a member of the Rotary Club, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and other organizations supporting veterans and their families. He holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Pacific Western University and resides in Stone Mountain, Georgia, with his wife of 57 years, Carol.

Ann Panteleakos, Board Member

National Secretary-Treasurer, VFW Auxiliary

Appointed National Secretary by National President Carla Martinez and elected National Treasurer of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) Auxiliary at the 110th National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, Ann is responsible for supervising the daily operation of the organization at the National Headquarters office in Kansas City. This includes administering financial affairs, working alongside the VFW on future planning, clarifying Auxiliary policy and supervising all staff members. She also serves as a liaison for the National Officers.

She is a Life Member of William L. Mercier Auxiliary 5446 in Plainfield, Connecticut. She has been actively involved in the organization since joining in 1976 on the eligibility of her father, Leo Beauregard, who served in the U.S. Navy.

She has served the organization at the Auxiliary, District, Department and National level. In 2005-2006 she was elected Department President, following in her mother’s footsteps. As 2014-2015 National President, she led the membership under her theme Patriotism Begins at Home.

Ann is a Life Member of the VFW National Home and the Military Order of the Cootie Auxiliary (MOCA). She serves on the Board of Trustees for the VFW National Home, the Board of Directors for the VFW Foundation and Board of Directors for the VFW Retirement Plan.

Ann’s family includes two adult children, son Tyler and daughter Nicole.

Gordon Logan, Board Member

Sport Clips Haircuts Founder and Chairman, Gordon Logan is an Air Force veteran and VFW Life member.

In the early 1990s, Logan recognized the huge potential, and relative lack of competition, in the men’s and boys’ haircut market. To take advantage of this, Logan assembled a top management team and developed the unique Sport Clips Haircuts concept, which included groundbreaking new haircutting systems, operating procedures and marketing programs designed to fully capitalize on this large, underserved market.

With many years of franchising experience, Logan was able to design the concept and get it up-and-running within a remarkably short time, and Sport Clips’ rapid, yet controlled growth, has become a textbook example of how to do things right.

Prior to opening the prototype Sport Clips in 1993, Gordon Logan owned and operated salons throughout Texas. He served as President of the International SalonSpa Business Network (ISBN, the trade association for chains and franchises representing over 20,000 salons) from 2008 to 2012 and remains on the Board of Directors.

Since 2011, he has served on the VFW Foundation Board. He was elected to the board of the International Franchise Association (IFA) in 2013 and currently serves as Chairman of the VetFran Mentor Program for veterans and as an IFA VetFran committee member. He also served on the Board of Visitors for Southwestern University from 2010 to 2013.

Prior to becoming a salon owner, Logan served as an Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force (1969 – 1976), after which he worked as a financial planning and control consultant with Price Waterhouse & Co. in Houston, Texas (1976 – 1980). He is a graduate of MIT (BS, ’68), and The Wharton School of Business, at the University of Pennsylvania (MBA with Honors, ’76). He is also a retired CPA in the State of Texas.

Mr. Logan’s son, Edward Logan, is Sport Clips Haircuts CEO and president.

Bob Wallace, Board Member

Former Executive Director of VFW Washington, D.C. Office

Robert E. Wallace is a past Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. He served from August 1991 to August 1992 at the peak of VFW membership of more than 2.1 million veterans. He is also a former Executive Director of the VFW Washington Office, advocating for the rights and benefits of veterans, service members and their families for more than 24 years in the nation’s capital.

Wallace served in the United States Marine Corps as a lance corporal with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in the Vietnam War from November 1967 to June 1968, and received three Purple Heart medals for wounds sustained during combat in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged from military service in 1969.

After his enlistment, Wallace would go on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University, and later, a master’s degree in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University.  He is also a graduate of the School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin.

After a successful 24-year career in banking in his home state of New Jersey, Wallace joined the administration of then-New Jersey Gov. Thomas H. Kean as Deputy Commissioner/Administrator of Veterans Affairs. Wallace also served on several state and national committees to improve the quality of life of America’s veterans, military personnel and their families, solidifying his reputation as a champion of veterans. In August 1992 immediately after his time as VFW Commander-in-Chief, Wallace was nominated by President George HW Bush to be Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment and Training. Prior to joining the VFW staff in Washington, D.C. in 1996, Wallace served as Executive Director of the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission.

During his tenure at the VFW Washington Office, Wallace established himself as an influential leader on Capitol Hill. He served as Deputy Executive Director of the VFW Washington Office from October 1996 until February 2001, when he was appointed Assistant Adjutant General and Executive Director. Wallace also served as the Adjutant General of the VFW from 2016 to 2017. Wallace retired from the VFW in August 2019. Wallace accepted a special appointment with the VFW in November 2021, serving once again as Executive Director of the VFW Washington Office. He served in that position until March 2023.

It has been said that Wallace’s leadership in the VFW resulted in the advancement of “every piece of quality-of-life legislation signed into law at the end of the 20th century and well into the 21st,” to include the Agent Orange Act, the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act and the Honoring our PACT Act.

Wallace currently works as an executive consultant in Washington, D.C. He and his wife, Dr. Katherine S. Wallace, reside in Alexandria, Virginia.

Jordan Drury, Board Member

Jordan Drury is Vice President, Franchising and Real Estate Development, for Midamerica Hotels Corporation of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The enterprise has more than 60 years of quick service and hospitality experience, owning and operating award-winning restaurant and hotel properties including:

• Over 35 Burger King restaurants across Southeast Missouri, South St Louis, Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, and Northeast Arkansas
• Holiday Inn Express Hotels and Suites in Cape Girardeau and St. Louis MO, and Paducah, KY.
• Hampton Inn and Suites South I-55 in Saint Louis, MO
• Auburn Place Hotel and Suites in Cape Girardeau, MO and Paducah, KY
• Fairfield Inn and Suites St. Louis South I-55

Jordan has a combination of 12 years military and law enforcement service, and he received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in 1997. He received his MBA from Louisiana State University.

Jordan is a licensed franchisee of Burger King Restaurants and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchens. He has previously served as a Board Member of Popeyes International Franchisee Association, serving as Chairman of the Popeyes Culinary Innovation Committee and Vice Chairman of Popeyes Marketing Council.

Mr. Drury currently serves as a Board Member of Elevanta, a Georgia-based group insurance underwriter that provides employers with proprietary health insurance, a full suite of voluntary benefits, retirement plan programs, and property and casualty insurance solutions especially for the franchise industry, as well as Restaurant Services, Inc. (RSI) which is the independent supply chain management and distribution cooperative for the BURGER KING® system.

Jordan and his wife Keasha have been married for 15 years and have 3 children, Hunter, Rebecca and Riley. Hunter is a US Army Veteran and works for a large construction and development company in Florida operating heavy equipment. Rebecca works for a US based cellular company and his son Riley is an accountant at Midamerica Hotels. His wife Keasha owns a Real Estate Brokerage in their hometown in Missouri.