Operation Homefront Adds Three to National Board of Directors

Nonprofit organization experiencing significant recent growth

SAN ANTONIO, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  Operation Homefront, the nonprofit that provides emergency financial and other assistance to military families and wounded warriors, today announced the addition of three members to its national Board of Directors.  Mark Foster of Martin Aviation and the Lyon Aviation Museum; Laura Fredericks of Laura Fredericks, LLC; and investor Ken Slater were elected to the Board at its meeting this week.

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"Operation Homefront and the military families we serve are blessed with a strong Board of Directors," said Jim Knotts, President and CEO of the organization.  "Today's three additions make that team even stronger, providing leadership as we meet the challenge of a growing need for our emergency services among the families of service members and wounded warriors."

In just the last few months, Operation Homefront has opened new transitional housing facilities for wounded-warrior families in Southern California and the Washington, D.C. area; chartered new state chapters in Colorado, Hawaii, and South Carolina; and launched the Army Homefront Fund to provide emergency services to soldiers and their families through a Memorandum of Agreement with the Army's Warrior Transition Command.

MARK FOSTER:

Mark Foster is President of Martin Aviation, an award-winning aviation maintenance facility adjacent to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif.  He additionally is the President and co-founder of the Lyon Aviation Museum, also adjacent to John Wayne Airport.  

"I've been involved in protecting the history of our military for a long time," said Foster.  "The present and future of our military are just as important.  Operation Homefront is absolutely vital to ensuring that our men and women in uniform know that their families back home are taken care of while they are deployed overseas, protecting the freedom of every American.  I'm honored to be elected to the Board of Directors."

LAURA FREDERICKS:

Leading Laura Fredericks, LLC, Ms. Fredericks has significant experience working with nonprofit groups, advising on best practices for organizational development and management.  She has taught at the certification and master's degree level for the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, New York University, Duke University, and the Smithsonian Institution.

"Operation Homefront is well-known in the non-profit community as an extremely effective resource for our service members and their families," Fredericks said, noting the organization's four-star rating from Charity Navigator and "A" rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy.  "I'm looking forward to helping Operation Homefront grow to provide assistance to even more military families."

KEN SLATER:

Ken Slater, who has served on the Board of Directors of Operation Homefront of Florida since its charter in 2008, has worked in the investment securities and real estate industry for over 25 years.  He is a member of the Massachusetts and Florida Bars, as well as having held various principal securities licenses.  Currently Mr. Slater is the managing principal in a family owned multi-generational real estate and investment firm with real estate holdings located primarily in New England, Canada, and Texas.

"Having served on the Florida chapter's Board of Directors, I'm excited to bring my passion for helping our military families and wounded warriors at a national level," said Slater.  "I've been in the fortunate position of being able to help many worthy causes, but I can't think of anyone more deserving of the support of every American than those who put their lives on their line for us, and the families they must leave when they are sent to duty."

About Operation Homefront:  Operation Homefront provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors.   A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers across 25 chapters and met more than 167,000 needs in 2010.  A four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 94 percent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes to programs.  For more information about Operation Homefront, please visit www.OperationHomefront.net.

SOURCE Operation Homefront