A retired U.S. Army intelligence officer with more than 20 years’ service, Sallay Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Campbell University in North Carolina, and a master’s degree in Tourism Administration from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is the owner of Serenity Event Solutions of San Diego, a firm that plans and manages events ranging from multi-day conferences to large dinners and receptions. Notably, she coordinated a Wounded Warriors Motivational Speaker Series at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

A native of Washington, D.C., Kim enlisted in the Army in 1990, and graduated from Officer …

Melinda Baccanari has a background in education, publishing, and marketing. A retired English teacher, she previously spent nearly two decades in the publishing and marketing business, holding leadership roles in editorial management, advertising, and promotions.

As the spouse of a retired Navy Captain, Melinda has been immersed in the military community since 1996. During her husband’s assignment as a flight instructor in Pensacola, Fla., she worked with Scuba Times Magazine, managing advertising accounts and serving as the editor of Belize Magazine. Following a relocation to Ventura County, Calif., she became the Promotions Manager for Sage Publications, a leading academic publisher. …

Richard J. Davidson, Jr., is a senior vice president of U.S. Bank in San Diego, and veteran Merchant Marine captain.  He is a 1986 honors graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marine transportation.  Before entering the banking field in 2001, he sailed for 15 years as a ship’s officer and master of merchant vessels.

Davidson joined U.S. Bank’s Private Wealth management division in 2010.  As a Private Banker, he provides personalized service for the day-to-day management of his clients’ financial activities.  He specializes in tailoring custom strategies for …

Bill Heard, CAPT, USNR (Ret.) served as the Foundation’s Public Information Officer for 13 years.  He is a retired Navy Reserve captain with almost 30 years’ experience in Navy public affairs. Earlier, he served eight deployments in Vietnam from October 1966 to May 1968, while his ship was operating along the coast of Vietnam. Heard’s decorations include the Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Naval Reserve Medal.

Heard’s professional background includes 40 years’ experience in public relations counseling in government, corporations, and advertising and public relations agencies. Early in his career, he was …

Richard Sells graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., in 1961. He served in the U.S. Army, Armor Corps from 1962 until 1969, attaining the rank of Captain, USAR.

Sells qualified as a Certified Public Accountant in California, and worked for Arthur Anderson & Co. He also worked for thirty-three years as an executive in the Cemetery Industry. He retired from Service Corporation International (SCI), the world’s largest owner of funeral homes and cemeteries, having served as a Senior Vice President for Domestic and International sales, and President of SCI’s Western States operations.

Sells devised and constructed the traveling …

Jeff Simonides was born and raised in San Diego. He graduated from Herbert Hoover High School in 1976, and attended Miramar College, San Diego City College and National University studying fire science and criminal justice.

Simonides is a former fire chief and earned several life saving citations. He is the owner and operator of an electrical contracting business. Simonides has been a certified mediator and has served with the Restorative Justice Program and San Diego Legal Aid, where he also works on conflict resolution within the juvenile justice system, both criminal and civil.

Simonides is a certified firearms instructor, and …

Fiorelli attended the University of Arizona, and is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Science with a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

She worked as a Court Clerk at the Flagstaff Municipal Court in Flagstaff, Ariz., before moving to San Diego in July 2000 to pursue a Masters Degree in Forensic Science. She currently is General Manager of Evergreen Mortuary, Cemetery & Crematory in Tucson, Ariz.

Fiorelli is a Licensed California Cemetery Manager, Cemetery Broker and Funeral Director. She enjoys spending her free time with her miniature …

A Vietnam era veteran, Victoria A. Nenner served four years as a staff and charge nurse in an Air Force hospital at Tachikawa AFB, Japan, where she treated soldiers wounded in battle. She met her late husband, Paul, while serving in Japan. She left active duty as a captain, and continued in the reserves until 1977.

Nenner comes from a long line of nurses – her grandmother, mother, uncle and sister were all nurses, and another sister is a physician. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing science at Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Tex., and a Master’s degree in family …

George Fellows is a native of the Pacific Northwest. He graduated from Yakima High School in 1947, and received a congressional appointment to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y., that same year. He graduated from Kings Point in 1951, receiving a BS degree in Nautical Science, a commission in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and a Coast Guard license to sail as an officer on any steam or motor vessel of unlimited tonnage in any ocean.

He sailed as a deck officer with American Export Lines until late 1952, when he volunteered for active Navy duty during the …