Board of Trustees
Comprised of 12 elected and 5 ex-officio members, the VFW National Home for Children Board of Trustees serves as the governing body of the corporation. Individuals who serve as trustees are Life Members of the National Home and work together to oversee the management and operation of the Home.
Elected trustees represent one of 12 National Home Districts, and are selected by the National Home Life Members in that District's VFW Departments for 6-year terms on the Board. Five ex-officio members of the Board include the VFW Commander-in-Chief, Adjutant General, Quartermaster General, VFW Auxiliary National President and the National Secretary Treasurer.
All 17 trustees attend periodic board meetings either at or near the National Home campus and are commissioned to set policy for the National Home and recommend necessary Bylaw changes.
Trustees are expected to be the liaison within the Departments they represent by attending various Department functions, set example for annual giving, encouraging contributions to the National Home, actively promote the National Home and its mission to the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the VFW Auxiliary and to encourage members of the VFW and its Auxiliary to become Life Members of the National Home.
The Board of Trustees annually elects a President and Vice President of the Board who lead the National Home and the Board through the year October through September.
The National Home Board of Trustees Committees serve to contribute to the efficient operation of the Board of Trustees and to assist the Board with its overall responsibilities, governance and fund raising. The Committees function to develop and recommend agency policy, select and evaluate the Executive Director, provide financial oversight, develop resources, conduct strategic planning and to promote positive community-agency relationships. Through their appointment to committees, Trustees maintain familiarity with the opportunities and challenges presented to the National Home and act upon them accordingly.
Leadership
Team
Frederick Puffenberger
fpuffenberger@vfwnationalhome.org
Executive Director
Brian Lorente
Laura Lonsberry
llonsberry@vfwnationalhome.org
Interim Program Directors
Cindy DeBow
Case Management Supervisor
Todd Marriott
Facilities and Grounds Director
Sue Alverson
Development Director
Lynn Hagerman
Finance Director
Armithea "Sissy" Borel, Board President
From Louisiana
Represents District 6 (KY, LA, MO, MS, TN)
Term: 2016-2022
Steve Van Bergen, Board Vice President
From Minnesota
Represents District 9 (MN, NE, ND, SD)
Term: 2017-2023
Keith Jackson
From Massachusetts
Represents District 1 (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
Term: 2019-2025
Art Schueneman
From New York
Represents District 2 (Europe, NJ, NY)
Term: 2019-2023
Ron Stensland
From Pennsylvania
Represents District 3 (DE, DC, PA)
Term: 2015 - 2021
Sam Compton
From Ohio
Represents District 4 (MD, OH, WV)
Term: 2015-2021
Mark Winn
From Virginia
Represents District 5 (AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, VA, Latin/Caribbean)
Term: 2020-2026
Annabelle Furgason
From Michigan
Represents District 7 (IA, MI, WI)
Term: 2018-2024
Jerry Blake
From Indiana
Represents District 8 (IL, IN)
Term: 2020-2026
Sylvia Sanchez
From Texas
Represents District 10 (AR, NM, OK, TX)
Term: 2016-2022
Kim Sloan
From Arizona
Represents District 11 (AK, AZ, CO, KS, MT, UT, WY, Pacific Areas)
Term: 2018-2024
Renee Fulk
From California
Represents District 12 (CA, HI, ID, OR, NV, WA)
Term: 2017-2023
VFW
Hal Roesch, VFW Commander-in-Chief
Ex-Officio Trustee
Kevin Jones, VFW Adjutant General
Ex-Officio Trustee
Debra Anderson, VFW Quartermaster General
Ex-Officio Trustee
Sandy Onstwedder, VFW Auxiliary National President
Ex-Officio Trustee
Ann Panteleakos, VFW Auxiliary National Secretary/Treasurer
Ex-Officio Trustee