Board of Directors
TANDY ERVIN
Chairman, Board of Directors, Grace After Fire
I began my business career as a Certified Public Accountant in St. Louis, Missouri after completing my Bachelor's Degree in Business with an emphasis in accounting. After a five year hiatus from the business world to be with my young growing family, I re-entered public accounting here in Dallas. From the accounting firm of Bloch, Donahoe, and Hamilton I was hired as part of the accounting staff of our largest client. This started my 19 year stint in corporate accounting.
·It was during my corporate accounting years that I had the opportunity to serve on the board of the company's profit sharing plan. As board members we conducted all of the research for and selection of the plan's investments. I did not know it at the time but that experience laid the groundwork for my career in financial services.· In 2003 I joined Edward Jones Investments.
By February 12, 2008 I was an independent wealth manager with Linsco Private Ledger and a full-service advisor to my clients. Besides the new level of service I can offer my clients, the move to LPL enhanced my resume to now include triathlete and radio show host.
Continuing my independent practice for my investment clients and enhancing their customer service experience I am now with Signal Securities, sharing my office in Plano with two other advisors.
During the last ten years I have served as a volunteer member of the boards of Fretz Recreational Park in Dallas, the North Dallas Business Women's Organization and The PrestonGreen Homeowners' Association Board.
John Farley
Vice- Chairman, Board of Directors, Grace After Fire
John has more than thirty years experience in the business world.· His career in Information Technology, started with companies such as EDS, Argo Data Resources, and other large Consulting Services companies.· In 1985 ,he·formed Technical Systems Group, Inc., a Dallas, Texas·based Computer Consulting firm.· In growing TSG from a one man show, to a Corporation providing International Computer Consulting Services, he also grew with the company·in the role as President/CEO.
Prior to entering the Corporate Business world, John grew up in the farming areas of Southwest Oklahoma, attending Altus High and Southwestern State College.· He joined the U.S. Navy in 1966, serving for four years, with two tours of duty in Viet Nam.· After the Navy, he returned to civilian life in 1970, and resided in Oklahoma, prior to moving to the Dallas, Texas area in 1975.· John currently lives in Plano, Texas with his wife.
Over the years he has·served·on the Board·of several Non-Profit organizations.· He served as Treasurer on the Executive Board of Historic Waxahachie, while living in Waxahachie, Texas, also served on The Waxahachie Symphony Board, and worked with several organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, in Dallas,Texas.· John has a firm understanding of business and financial skills needed in the Corporate world, and is proud to be involved with the Grace After Fire Organization.
Penny Phillips
Secretary, Board of Directors Grace After Fire
I joined the USAF as a JAG officer in late 1994 and served on Active Duty from 30 Jan 1995 to 30 Sep 2000.· I finished my IRR commitment without becoming an active reservist.· Interms of other military affiliation, I am married to another AF JAG officer and he is the Staff Judge Advocate at the 301stFighter Wing at Carswell.· He just returned from Operation Enduring Freedom last month.· My brother is Texas Army National Guard currently and my father is a Navy veteran.· I still have friends on active duty – mostly females.·
Involvement with Veterans:
Since September of last year, I have been running a veterans networking group in the metroplex.· We started as a part of the US Veterans Chamber of Commerce but now just meet without any membership requirements.· We meet monthly in Addison.· That is where I met Stacy Keyte of Grace After Fire.· She told me about Grace After Fire and I've been a fan ever since.· She also introduced me to Sophia Stanton.· I have come to veterans resource meetings organized by each of them. ·I am the Collin County representative for the State Bar of Texas's initiative called Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans, and just recently sent both of them information on the Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans clinic that I organized in McKinney next month.· It is our second Collin County clinic and I'm very excited that we're growing this in Collin County.· I actively coordinate with the leaders of the Dallas bar Association's veterans subcommittee to get help for our veterans all around the area.
Since September of last year, I have been running a veterans networking group in the metroplex.· We started as a part of the US Veterans Chamber of Commerce but now just meet without any membership requirements.· We meet monthly in Addison.· That is where I met Stacy Keyte of Grace After Fire.· She told me about Grace After Fire and I've been a fan ever since.· She also introduced me to Sophia Stanton.· I have come to veterans resource meetings organized by each of them. ·I am the Collin County representative for the State Bar of Texas's initiative called Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans, and just recently sent both of them information on the Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans clinic that I organized in McKinney next month.· It is our second Collin County clinic and I'm very excited that we're growing this in Collin County.· I actively coordinate with the leaders of the Dallas bar Association's veterans subcommittee to get help for our veterans all around the area.
Suzanne Kaufman-McNamara
Member, Board of Directors Grace After Fire
Suzanne Kaufman-McNamara retired as a Master Sergeant from the U.S. Air Force in 2001. She is employed as an associate attorney with the Berry Law Firm P.C. in Lincoln, Nebraska. Suzanne graduated from Excelsior College, cum laude (B.Sci. 2000) and from Creighton University School of Law (J.D. 2005) with a concentration in Dispute Resolution. She was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 2005, and is currently admitted to practice in Colorado and Nebraska. Suzanne is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and she is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs to represent claimants for VA benefits. Suzanne practices primarily in the area of veterans' disability benefits claims and her past areas of practice include family law, bankruptcy, and employment law. She is a member of the Colorado and Nebraska Bar Associations, the American Bar Association, and has been a Sustaining member of the National Organization of Veterans Advocates since 2009.
Susan Schieren
Member, Board of Directors Grace After Fire
Susan Schieren retired from a 31 year career with GE on December 1st, 2010. She was the Program Manager for GE Energy’s Junior Officer Leadership Program (JOLP) and Global Commercial Leadership Program (CLP). For the past 11 years, Susan has been responsible for leading the Energy and Company-wide program development, strategy and execution for the recruiting, hiring, and transitioning of exiting military officer talent into GE JOLP (over 200 graduates) and company-wide direct hire positions (1000+). In addition, for the past 6 years, Susan has been responsible for leading the GE Energy Global CLP program development and execution for over 150 CLP’s from 32 countries.
Because of her intensive work in hiring and transitioning exiting military talent, Susan received a request from Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor, to serve a two-year appointment (2007/2008) on the Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee – Veteran’s Employment, Training and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO). She has made significant contributions to this committee. The most significant , leading the efforts to revolutionize the Military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) . In 2009, she was reappointed to serve another 2 years on ACVETEO.
Susan joined GE in 1979. Over the past 31 years she has worked in 5 GE businesses,
(Machinery Apparatus Operation, GE Plastics, GE Appliances, GE Corporate and GE Energy) in various program management leadership roles and functions (Sourcing, Engineering, Quality, Information Technology, Finance, Human Resources, Sales and Marketing).
Prior to joining GE, Susan was enlisted in the US Air Force and served 2 years on active duty as a Microwave Radio Relay Repairman. While serving, Susan was injured and received an honorable discharge as a Disabled Vietnam-era Veteran.
Prior to active duty in 1974, Susan obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Springfield College, Mass. After leaving the Military, under the Military’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Susan obtained a Master’s degree in Education - Guidance & Psychological Services from Springfield College.
