March 21:      Bill Center

Rear Admiral Bill Center retired from the U.S. Navy in 1999 and assumed leadership in 2001 of the Washington Council on International Trade, a non-partisan Seattle-based advocacy group which he led until 2007.   He now lectures and serves as a senior advisor for international fellows programs at the Evans School of Public Affairs.

A specialist in policy analysis, strategic planning, and organization development, Bill was a senior advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on arms control, non-proliferation, environmental matters, and international agreements.  In his final assignment, he commanded the Navy’s third largest fleet concentration area, Navy Region Northwest.

Bill continues to devote considerable time and effort to nonprofit leadership, education, and volunteer work.  He is an active leader in the Rotary Club of Seattle and the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association.  A sought-after public speaker, he has taught various courses on leadership, economics, and the graduate seminar on U.S. Foreign Policy at the Evans School.

Bill's most recent presentation was at the Shoreline Community College Ten Years After symposium in October 2011 where his topic was ""Rethinking America's Response to Terrorism".  He will again speak on this topic at our January meeting.

More information on Bill's background can be found at Bill Center's biography.

January 18:      CANCELLED DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER

November 16:      Trevor Cobb

Trevor Cobb is Vice President and Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Banking.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Class of 2001.  He earned his M.B.A. from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and has completed advanced course work at the Swiss Banking Institute in Zürich.

A Seattle native, Trevor is active in the community and serves as a member of the Employer's Advisory Board at the Foster School of Business and SOVREN Guild in support of Seattle Children's Hospital.

Trevor will share his experiences from the Iraq invasion as a platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division including lessons learned about leadership in high stress situations.

More information on Trevor's background and banking responsibilities can be found at Trevor Cobb's biography.

September 21, 2011:      Bill Kern and Len Radziwanowicz

Bill Kern joined Merrill Lynch following 20 years of service as a Naval Flight Officer.  Bill earned a degree in Economics from Penn State and a Master’s in Family Financial Planning from Kansas State.  While in the Navy, he was as an Adjunct Professor of Management at the Air Force Academy teaching Introduction to Investments and Personal Financial Responsibility.  More information his background can be found at Bill Kern's biography.

Len Radziwanowicz is a Senior Financial Advisor and Partner FDR Wealth Management Group at Merrill Lynch in Seattle.  Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Len completed a successful career in the Coast Guard, obtaining the rank of Commander.  Len earned a degree in Economics & Management from the Coast Guard Academy.  More information on his extensive background can be found at Len Rad's biography.

Bill and Len will participate in a panel to consider Strategies for Dealing with Today's Volatile Markets.

With all of the activity in both the domestic and foreign financial markets, particularly Europe where a senior official of the European Central Bank recently resigned over the ECB's policy of buying Italian and Spanish bonds, this will be an engaging and possibly controversial session.

May 18, 2011:      Brad Worthley

Brad Worthley is an accomplished consultant and behavior change specialist with over 35 years of business management experience.  He is also an internationally acclaimed leadership, customer service and motivational expert.

• Has trained millions of people throughout a wide range of industries
• Participants and clients benefit from millions customer feedback surveys used in his research.

A true professional, Brad equips companies with dynamic customer service and leadership essentials.  Brad's research shows that it is easy to change people, but unless the leadership has undergone specialized training on how to manage a service culture, the employees will revert back to their old ways within 90 days.

• Eliminate office politics
• Increase employee retention
• Increase employee performance
• Increase customer retention
• Increase sales
• Increase profits

Renowned for captivating his audiences, many have referred to his lively presentations as "shows".

• Brad keeps seminar participants entertained while helping them retain the information they learn.
• He is a master storyteller and delivers his powerful message from the customer's perspective.

For more information on Brad's consulting activities, including sample videos of his presentations, visit the Brad Worthley International website.

March 16, 2011:      Jim Franks

Jim Franks is a consultant and coach to entrepreneurs, providing a broad range of business services and guidance to emerging growth companies and the individuals who will own and operate these businesses.

Jim is a proven senior executive with over 30 years of experience in the internet, wireless and broadband telecommunications, and a variety of technology-based industries.  He has instructed and participated in numerous classes and workshops in sales and marketing, motivation, finance, business operations, quality assurance, and telecommunications technologies.

Jim completed AOCS after graduating from the University Of Wisconsin and served as a carrier based Naval Aviator during the Vietnam era.

January 19, 2011:      David Hayes

Dave Hayes graduated from the Naval Academy in 1973 with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering.  He spent most of his sea duty flying the F-8 Crusader, F-4 Phantom, and F-14 Tomcat.  His shore duty included weapons flight testing for the F-14 and F/A-18 Hornet, along with being honored as Navy Flight Instructor of the Year in 1980.

Dave completed courses at the Naval Fighter Weapons School (NFWS), aka Top Gun, and the Navy Test Pilot School.  He also completed an M.A. in Management Information Systems and Business Management.  After 20 years in the cockpit, including 876 carrier landings, many of them at night, he retired from active duty.

After serving as a civil service test pilot for the Navy, Dave flew for Northwest Airlines.  He continued to do flight test work in support of the safety efforts of the Air Line Pilots Association.  He also chaired the Aircraft Design and Operations Group, served as Director of Certification Programs for transport category aircraft, and testified before the House and Senate Aviation Transportation Subcommittees and the National Transportation Safety Board on issues related to aircraft safety, aircraft certification and flight operations.

Dave took early retirement from Northwest to pursue management responsibilities as a senior experimental test pilot and flight test safety officer with Adam Aircraft Industries flying the A500 and A700 aircraft.  Adam Aircraft followed the axiom that the way to make money in the aircraft industry was to start with a large fortune and keep investing until it’s gone.

Dave joined Boeing in 2008 as an Experimental Test Pilot flying military derivatives of the B-737 including the Navy P-8 Poseidon, the AEW&C family of aircraft, and the B-757 Flying Test Bed.  With flight time in over 90 aircraft types and models, Dave holds type ratings in the B-737, B-757, B-767, and other aircraft, and has accumulated more than 17,000 hours of flight time.

November 17, 2010:      Walt Isler

A speaker was not scheduled for this meeting.  The meeting was devoted entirely to Networking, and everyone was given an opportunity to introduce themselves and discuss their background and their business or employment needs.

September 15, 2010:      Mark J. Olson

Captain Mark J. Olson USN is the Commanding Officer, Naval Base Kitsap, the third largest installation in the Navy.  Naval Base Kitsap covers nearly 11,000 acres in three states and is home to more than 65 tenant commands.

Captain Olson graduated with distinction from the Naval Academy in 1983 as both a Burke and Trident Scholar, receiving a BS in Oceanography.  He is a career submariner, serving on both fast attack and ballistic missile boats.  For more details on his stellar career, please review the offical biography of Captain Mark J. Olson.

Captain Olson will talk about activities on our local Naval bases, and their economic impact on Puget Sound.

May 19, 2010:      Walt Isler

A speaker was not scheduled for this meeting.  The meeting was devoted entirely to Networking, and everyone was given an opportunity to introduce themselves and discuss their background and their business or employment needs.

March 17, 2010:      Patrick Yalung

Patrick Yalung is the Washington Regional President for Wells Fargo.  This includes overseeing all retail and business banking operations in Washington.  In this capacity, he oversees $9.6 billion in assets, nearly 1,700 team members, and 131 banking stores throughout the region.

Mr. Yalung is also the national spokesperson for Wells Fargo Asian Business Services.  As spokesperson, he works with key national organizations to support the continued growth of the Asian business community.

He joined Wells Fargo in 1983 and achieved his current position in 2005.  His previous positions with Wells Fargo include Regional President in Greater Arizona, regional manager in Northern Arizona, and assistant to the Southwest Region President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Yalung is on the board of directors of the Seattle branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.  He is also a member of the Pacific Coast Banking School administrative board, the Washington Bankers Assoc board of directors, and the National Board of Advisors for the University of Arizona Eller College of Business and Public Administration.

Mr. Yalung plans to speak about the economy, the financial services industry, and Wells Fargo in Washington.

January 20, 2010:      Philip Dana  and  Phil Stevens

Phil Dana (USNA '97) and Phil Stevens (USNA '98) will provide an overview of the hiring needs of Amazon and a summary of their corporate culture and company.  They will also present recommendations for transitioning, along with fielding questions on how to find a perfect career.

For information on their respective backgrounds, please review the biographies of Philip Dana and Phil Stevens.

November 18, 2009:      Kemper Freeman

Kemper Freeman, Jr., the principal owner and leader of Kemper Development Company, has developed a total of 4 million square feet of real estate in the Bellevue CBD.  This portfolio of real estate, called The Bellevue Collection, includes Bellevue Square, a super-regional shopping center, and two mixed-use projects:  Bellevue Place comprised of two office buildings, retail space, and a Hyatt Regency Hotel; and Lincoln Square comprised of retail space, The Westin Bellevue with luxury rooms, meeting space, and luxury condominiums, and an office building.

Last year, Bellevue Square underwent a $40 million dollar urban-garden renovation.  Late this summer the expansion of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which began in 2007 adding guest rooms, as well as additional meeting and banquet space, was completed.  A third mixed-use project on the site south of Lincoln Square is part of Kemper Development Company’s future development plans.

Kemper Freeman is a past Chairman of the International Council of Shopping Centers, past Chairman of the Council's Government Relations Committee, and has served as a Trustee since 1987.  He serves as a Board Member of Overlake Hospital and PACE – Performing Arts Center Eastside.  Mr. Freeman has a long history of involvement in political and civic activities.  He is a former Washington State Legislator, and has served on the boards of numerous business and civic organizations.

September 16, 2009:      Jack Leary

Jack Leary founded Intersource, LLC in 2006 with the goal of providing the highest quality of service and advice to its clients and to attract the best development team by creating a culture of excellence and success.

Mr. Leary has held a variety of leadership positions in several industry leading companies.  He has consistently built software and developed IT teams that deliver high quality products, on time and on budget.

Prior to founding Intersource, he was the Vice President of Application Development at the world’s largest digital imaging company, Getty Images.  At Microsoft, Jack drove several teams in both IT and Commercial Software efforts, consistently shipping high quality applications and commercial software ahead of expectation.  And at ALLTEL, Jack drove aggressive, innovative efforts in both technology and forming technology partnerships.

Mr. Leary holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School.  He is a 1983 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a Naval Aviator flying helicopters in various theaters of operations.

He will speak on the topic of social networking and will provide insight on how it can help our businesses and careers.

May 20, 2009:      Jim McFarlane

James A.R. McFarlane has provided leadership in marine operations, research and development of ocean technology, undersea systems manufacturing, and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) training programs for over 25 years.  He has provided successful program management at oceanographic research institutions, for the offshore oil and gas industry, disaster response, and military operations.

Mr. McFarlane is also an experienced ROV pilot who has serviced all sub-sea marine industries and provided leadership in the development of new methods and equipment for this demanding environment.  He regularly manages large diverse projects from submarine development and manufacturing to facilities construction.

In addition to his technical experience, he has been actively involved in first level scientific research of marine biology, chemistry, geologic and oceanographic programs.  He has also been involved in marine archeology and has an active interest in the historical significance of these finds.

He is the Chairman of the National Science Foundation, National Visiting Committee for the Marine Advanced Technology Center at Monterey Peninsula College.  He is also a Fellow National of the Explorers Club, Vice-President of Sound Ocean Systems, Inc., and President of EagleNet Sea Farms, Inc.

Mr. McFarlane will speak on ocean exploration, with emphasis on national importance, environmental/energy policies, and climate change.

March 18, 2009:      J. Lennox Scott

J. Lennox Scott is a third generation Chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate, founded by his grandfather in Seattle in 1931.

Mr. Lennox is a perennial recipient of Realtor Magazine’s “25 most influential people in real estate”.

John L. Scott Real Estate has 133 offices and more than 3,600 sales associates in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.  The company's award-winning website at JohnLScott.com is one of the most active real estate company websites in the nation with over 1 million user visits per month.

January 21, 2009:      Pierre LaPorte

Pierre LaPorte is a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley in Tacoma, WA.  A Washington native, Pierre graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Seattle University and a Masters Degree in International Management from the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management.

He has worked in the banking and financial services world ever since.  He became a CPA in 1976, and a Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner in 2000.  He has worked for a number of different firms, notable among them Arthur Anderson, Weyerhaeuser, and most recently with Morgan Stanley.

In his current role, Pierre keeps in close touch with National and International financial markets.  He will address the problems that led to the current mortgage crisis, what he feels it will take to get the financial markets healthy again, and some of the strategies we need to be thinking about in the meantime.

November 19, 2008:      Doug Roulstone

Captain Doug Roulstone, USN (Ret) is the Senior Vice President for Business Development for Thomas James International in Monroe, WA.  He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1972.  After one surface tour on the USS ALBERT DAVID (DE 1050), he attended flight school and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1975.

Captain Roulstone has accumulated over 3,500 military flight hours.  His first assignment was search-and-rescue at NAS Whidbey Island, where he rescued 107 people in the 1975 Snohomish River flood.  He also commanded a helicopter squadron in a forward combat role in the initial ground mission of Operation Desert Storm.

Captain Roulstone's last assignment was Command of the USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) from April 1997 until August 1999, during which the USS STENNIS completed her maiden deployment around the globe from Norfolk, Virginia to San Diego, California.  This deployment included a world speed record transit from Norfolk to the Arabian Gulf in less than 14 days at a sustained speed of 29.3 knots.  In 1998, the USS STENNIS received the first ever joint Battle Efficiency Award from both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets and the Admiral James Flately Award for Aviation Safety.

Captain Roulstone is a Past President of the Everett Council of the Navy League and founder of the Education Pathway Partnership in Computer Aided Design and Precision Machining at Snohomish High School.  He and his wife, Bonnie, are very active in the community.  In this capacity, they founded the Snohomish County Lacrosse Club, participate in the Snohomish Educational Foundation, and sponsor a leadership program on the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) and the USS STENNIS.

September 24, 2008:      Mike Flood

Mike Flood is the Vice President of Community Relations for the Seattle Seahawks.  Mike is in his eleventh year with the Seahawks.

Prior to joining the Seahawks, Mike served as the Community Outreach Director for Football Northwest, helping to spearhead the statewide campaign that resulted in passage of Referendum 48 to build a new football/soccer stadium and exhibition complex.  A Seattle native, he received a B.A. degree in Industrial Education from Washington State University, and a Masters Degree in Education from the University of North Carolina.

Mike owned and operated an agricultural flying service in Fort Scott, Kansas before joining the U.S. Coast Guard.  During his 20-year career, he served as a pilot and Civil Engineering Officer, flying C130s, Dassault Falcon jets, and H60 Jayhawk helicopters.  From 1994-1996, he was the Air/Sea Rescue Operations Officer for coastal Oregon.  Mike retired as a Commander in 1996.

Mike and his wife Marty have a son Dan and daughter Shannon.

June 18, 2008:      Bob Ravener

Bob Ravener is Senior Vice President, U.S. Partner Resources, for the Starbucks Coffee Company.  In this role, he is responsible for the leadership and support of priorities and initiatives affecting more than 100,000 hourly and salaried partners (employees), across more than 10,000 company-operated and licensed stores.

Before joining Starbucks, he was Vice President, Human Resources for The Home Depot.  Bob held this position for the Store Support Center and one of three domestic divisions.  In this latter role, he was responsible for the HR leadership of 700 stores and more than 100,000 employees in 23 states.

Prior to joining The Home Depot, Bob was with Footstar, Inc., serving for three years as Vice President, Chief Personnel Officer for the second largest footwear retailer in the U.S. with a workforce of 22,000 and over 5,000 locations.  He then moved into operations as a Senior Vice President.  His retail experience also includes start-up operations, new business development, and acquisition integration.

Before joining Footstar, Bob spent eleven years with PepsiCo in positions of increasing responsibility, earning awards for leadership development and safety improvement.  His experience included roles as a senior HR generalist as well as benefits operations, safety and risk, and business re-engineering.

Bob has been actively involved in the community by supporting various youth activities.  He has also served on his community board for the Boys and Girls Club and the Ramapo College Board of Governors.  In 2004, he was appointed by the Secretary of Labor to the President’s National Hire Veterans Committee and, in 2007, he was appointed to the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach.

Bob is a graduate of the Naval Academy and is past president of his class.  He also earned an MBA in General Management from New York University.

March 19, 2008:      Tay Yoshitani

Tay Yoshitani was appointed CEO of the Port of Seattle in January 2007.  As CEO, he implements policies set by the Port Commission and leads the Seaport, one of the largest container ports in North America, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Prior to joining the Port of Seattle, he served as Senior Advisor to the National Association of Waterfront Employers from 2004 to 2007, providing industry expertise on port security and environmental issues.

Mr. Yoshitani served as Executive Director of the Port of Oakland from 2001 to 2004, where he led an expansion program to substantially increase the size of the seaport and the airport.  He oversaw environmental permitting and planning that enabled construction to begin on airport expansion using “green building” technology.  He also led the effort to transfer ownership and convert two military bases into container terminals and rail yards. By conducting environmental cleanup concurrently with seaport construction, he saved millions of dollars and nearly a decade of red tape.  Mr. Yoshitani also served as Deputy Executive Director from 1998 to 2001.

Mr. Yoshitani is credited with creating the first master plan at the Maryland Port Administration, where he served as Executive Director from 1995 to 1998.  As Deputy Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles from 1989 to 1995, he oversaw the creation of the West Coast’s largest dry bulk export terminal.

Prior to becoming the Executive Officer of an engineering company in Viet Nam, he attended U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger training.  He served as aide-de-camp for the Commanding General, U.S. Army, Japan, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain.

In addition to his a Bachelor of Science from West Point, Mr. Yoshitani earned an MBA at Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

January 16, 2008:      Walt Isler

Our scheduled speaker was unavoidably detained and we missed a military-to-civilain business owner presentation that would have been well suited to our group.

In lieu of a replacement speaker, Walt Isler led a session where each attendee outlined their individual employment objectives.

Captain Pete Stiles, USN (Ret), President of VerticalPath Recruiting, also gave some timely advice that was very helpful, particularly for career officers who are transitioning to civilian occupations.

November 13, 2007:      Sean Connaughton

Sean Connaughton is the Maritime Administrator for the United States.  In that capacity, he is in charge of the Maritime Administration, an Agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation.  The mission of his Agency is to improve and strengthen the U.S. marine transportation system to meet the economic and security needs of the Nation.

Sean graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy in 1983 with a B.S. degree, a Third Officer (Unlimited Tonnage) Merchant Marine license, and a commission in the U.S. Coast Guard.  He served on active duty in the Coast Guard from 1983 to 1986, leaving to join the Naval Reserve until 2006.  Sean graduated with honors from the Naval War College in 1998 and was awarded the College's Franklin Reinaur II Defense Economic Award.

Following active duty, Sean worked as a civilian in the Office of Marine Safety at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  During this time he graduated from Georgetown University with a M.S. degree in 1988.  In 1988, Sean began working at the American Petroleum Institute representing companies involved in marine transportation.  He concurrently attended George Mason School of Law, graduating with a law degree in 1992.

Sean then entered into private law practice specializing in maritime and international law.  With a colleague, Sean appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1999, successfully arguing a case involving marine transportation law.  He has published many articles on marine transportation and environmental issues.

Sean was elected Chairman at large of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors in 1999.  He served on this and other boards including the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments until September of 2006, when he was selected to become the Maritime Administrator.

September 19, 2007:      Greg Porter

Greg Porter is a co-founder and Principal of Bernston Porter and Company, PLLC.  This firm has achieved distinction as one of Washington State's 100 Fastest Growing Companies and the 11th largest CPA firm in the Puget Sound region.  Greg is on various boards and committees and he is the current Chairman of the Board of the Washington Policy Center.

Greg has numerous educational and professional designations.  He also played football for Washington State University and was named to the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Team.

Visit Bernston Porter and Company to learn more about Greg and his company.  You will also find a wide range of information on business financial planning, estates and trusts, taxes, and other related subjects.

May 16, 2007:      Karen Say

Karen Say is the owner and President of Saybr Contractors, Inc. located in Tacoma, WA.  She is also the Chairwoman elect for the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. of Western Washington.

Ms. Say will talk about starting her business in 1997, the construction boom in the Puget Sound region, and the project manager opportunities currently available for military officers transitioning out of the service.

March 21, 2007:      Linda Strout

Linda Strout was named Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Seattle in February 2004.  In that capacity, she provides oversight for the Port's legal, risk management, records management, health and safety services, corporate environmental, engineering, Port construction services, and the Port Police Department.

Ms. Strout joined the Port of Seattle in January 1989 and served as General Counsel from December 1991 through February 2004.  She was previously a principal in the Seattle law firm of Skellenger and Bender, where she practiced general commercial and municipal law.  Her practice consisted primarily of commercial and construction litigation, with an additional emphasis in real estate leasing and purchase and sales transactions.  She also assisted in tax-exempt financing for various Washington municipalities.

Ms. Strout earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Puget Sound School of Law (now Seattle University).  She has been a member of the Washington Bar since 1979.  She served as President of the King County Bar Association from 1998 to 1999, and served on the Association's Board of Trustees from 1991 to 1998.

January 17, 2007:      Rob McKenna

Rob McKenna is Washington's 17th Attorney General.  As the state's chief legal officer, he directs 500 attorneys and nearly 700 professional staff providing legal services to state agencies, boards and commissions.

Attorney General McKenna will be speaking about current issues such as the election law cases and the Washington Education Association case soon to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Learn more about Rob McKenna and current legal issues at the Office of the Attorney Gereral website.

November 15, 2006:      Bill Center

Rear Admiral Bill Center, USN (Ret) has been President of the Washington Council on International Trade since April 2001.  The Council is a nonprofit, non-partisan association that advocates good trade policy and educates the public, elected leaders, educators, and the media about the role and importance of trade.

Admiral Center retired from the U.S. Navy in 1999 after 31 years distinguished service.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs.

Admiral Center is a specialist in policy analysis, strategic planning and organization development.  He served as a senior advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on arms control, non-proliferation, environmental matters, and international agreements.  He was General Colin Powell's deputy director for international negotiations and served in the same role for General John Shalikashvili.

In his final assignment, from May 1996 to May 1999, Admiral Center commanded the Navy’s third largest fleet concentration area, Navy Region Northwest.  He has earned numerous military awards including the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, and Defense Superior Service Medal. He is a sought-after public speaker and teaches the Graduate Seminar on U.S. Foreign Policy at the Evans School.

Since retiring from the Navy, Admiral Center has devoted himself to nonprofit leadership and volunteer work.  He is President of the Rotary Club of Seattle and an active leader in the Initiative for Global Development.

Admiral Center will discuss the effects of job movement overseas, its impacts on our economy, and why he believes we should not be too worried.

September 19, 2006:      Mike McGavick

Michael S. McGavick is the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate running against incumbent Democrat Maria Cantwell in the 2006 general election.

Mr. McGavick was born in Seattle in 1958 and is a graduate of the University of Washington.  He was most recently the Chairman, President, and CEO of Safeco Insurance Companies.

Prior to joining Safeco, Mr. McGavick was a senior executive with Continental Casualty Company in Chicago, Illinois.  He was President and Chief Operating Officer of CNA's largest operating department.  With $3.5 billion in annual revenue, his department provided the majority of CNA's commercial insurance products.  His department was also responsible for managing CNA's relationship with its independent agency distribution system.

Mr. McGavick became Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton after managing Senator Gorton's successful comeback campaign in 1988.  He later became the Director of the American Insurance Association's Superfund Improvement Project in Washington, D.C., where he was AIA's lead negotiator in working to transform the nation's Superfund environmental laws.  He was also a staff-member of the Seattle-based Washington Roundtable, a non-partisan policy research group composed of the CEOs of Washington State's largest corporations.

May 17, 2006:      Stephen Doherty

Steve Doherty is a Denver business consultant, speaker, and author of the book To Father an American Champion.  This book is a compilation of inspirational stories of great American fathers conveying how they helped raised great American children.

Jack and John Elway  The legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.  All-pro paralyzed football player Mike Utley and father Frank.  And more.  Steve Doherty believes that these families epitomize the ideals of raising great American children who are dedicated to the ideals of our heritage and freedoms and aware of the sacrifices occasionally visited upon us to preserve and protect them.

Steve Doherty is committed to the ideal that a world without American Champions and Heroes would be highly vulnerable to falling victim to its own apathy and inertia.  He believes strongly that to whom much is given, much is expected.

"America is a nation born of providence and history and fate have made us the world’s most benevolent and committed people to the ideals of human freedom.  Our heritage and thus our citizenship is bittersweet — equal part priveledge — equal part obligation.  We can and must influence the times through which we pass."

March 15, 2006:      James Yee

Former Army Chaplain James Yee (USMA '90) is the author of the book For God and Country and has been the subject of many recent media reports in television and newsprint.  Chaplin Yee will speak about his ordeal, focusing on the moral courage and bravery necessary to endure and stand against injustice and adversity.

After serving in the aftermath of the first Gulf War as a Patriot Missile Fire Control Officer, he traveled to Damascus, Syria, studying the Arabic language and traditional Islamic sciences.  An endorsement from the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council brought Chaplain Yee back to active duty as a U.S. Army Muslim Chaplain in January 2001.

In September 2003, after being officially recognized twice for outstanding performance, his 10-month tour in Guantanamo landed Chaplain Yee in a naval prison for 76 days after being falsely accused of spying, espionage, and aiding the alleged Taliban and Al-Qaeda prisoners.  After months of government investigation, all criminal charges were dropped.

With his record wiped clean, Chaplain Yee tendered his resignation from the U.S. Army and received an Honorable Discharge in January 2005.  Upon separation he was awarded with a second Army Commendation medal for his “exceptionally meritorious service.”

January 18, 2006:      Dino Rossi

Mr. Dino Rossi is a former Washington State Senator for 7 years, and candidate in the closest governors election in Washington State history.  As chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, he was instrumental in helping close a record $2.7 billion shortfall.

Mr. Rossi will speak about his views on business, politics and life, coincidently the title of his book Lessons in Leadership, Business, Politics and Life.

November 16, 2005:      Michael Kurilla

Lieutenant Colonel Michael "Erik" Kurilla (USMA '88) is Commanding Officer of the Fort Lewis based 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment (Stryker).  Lieutenant Colonel Kurilla's command recently returned from Iraq where he led them through some of the fiercest fighting of the Iraq insurgency in and around the city of Mosul. His battalion devastated the enemy in the area, but not without cost as the battalion lost 12 soldiers and was awarded over 150 Purple Hearts.  Lieutenant Colonel Kurilla was twice wounded himself.

Lieutenant Colonel Kurilla's unit was highlighted by Michael Yon, an imbedded reporter who kept a detailed account of the battalion's actions.  We encourage you to visit Michael Yon's Online Magazine to read about the battalion.

September 21, 2005:      Mark Lund and Chris Kirchten

Mark Lunde (USNA '86) and Chris Kirschten (USNA '84) represent the Myrio Corporation, a Division of Siemens Communications.  Myrio is a 6-year old company that has grown from having just two client firms initially to over 70 client firms today.  Mark and Chris have been involved for the past five years helping drive the growth.

They will introduce us to the new industry of Internet Protocol Services and explain the current battle between telephone, ISP, and television companies.  They will predict where this battle head, how it will impact the consumer, and how their company is addressing these issues.  They will also share some of the struggles they encountered in building a new business.