Leadership & Award History

Past Presidents

1948 – Homer G. Bradley (IL)
1949 – C. C. Horton (AL)
1950 – T.H. McGovran (WV)
1951 – William R. Rice (CO)
1952 – Clinton Green (IN)
1953 – Melvin T. Dixon (FL)
1954 – William K. Barrett (GA)
1955 – Floyd Henderson (ND)
1956 – Alexander Smith (VT)
1957 – Gordon Huseby (WI)
1958 – Charles Morris (TX)
1959 – J. Marvin Russell (CA)
1960 – James L. Grider (TN)
1961 – Lawrence LaLone (MI)
1962 – H,C, Saalfield (OR)
1963 – Charles Collatos (MA)
1964 – James Murphy (AZ)
1965 – Pete Wheeler (GA)
1966 – Richard Manning (MD)
1967 – Wayne Garrett (KS)
1968 – Melvin Jacobsen (NV)
1969 – Lloyd Zander (ND)
1970 – Walter Head Jr. (AL)
1971 – Robert Washburn (ME)
1972 – O.C. Ball (OK)
1973 – Larry Laughridge (ID)
1974 – Harry Carper (VA)
1975 – Frank Schmidt (MI)
1976 – Leo Anderson (DC)
1977 – Filberto Ruiz (NM)
1978 – Eryle Rohlesen
1979 – Ray Kaffman (IA)
1980 – John Eaton (MD)
1981 – Frank Godwin (MS)
1982 – John Siemer (OH)
1983 – Joesph Anderson (NY)
1984 – Aubrey Bullard (TX
1985 – R. Countryman (AZ)
1986 – William Gregg (MN)
1987 – Frank Wilkes (AL)
1988 – Jesse Ugalde (CA)
1989 – Sam Black (VA)
1990 – Douglas Brown (TX)
1991 – Jon Mangis (OR)
1992 – Dale Renaud (IA)
1993 – Joesph Clelan (PA)
1994 – Earl Peck (FL)
1995 – Michael D’Arco (NM)
1996 – Norman Gallion (AZ)
1997 – Antonio Davila (DE)
1998 – Dennis Foell (SD)
1999 – Stoney Wages (KS)
2000 – Walt Ozawa (HI)
2001 – No Conference
2002 – Ray Boland (WI)
2003 – Joey Strickland (LA)
2004 – Les Beavers (KY)
2005 – John King (WA)
2005 – George Basher (NY)
2006 – John Garcia (NM)
2007 – John Scocos (WI)
2008 – Charlie Smith (NC)
2009 – Terry Schow (UT)
2010 – Linda Schwartz (CT)
2011 – David Fletcher (AR)
2012 – Jim Willis (OR)
2013 – Clyde Marsh (AL)
2014 – Lonnie Wangen (ND)
2015 – David Brasuell (ID)
2016 – Randy Reeves (MS)
2017 – Verdie Bowen (AK)
2018 – Alfie Alvarado-Ramos (WA)
2019 – John Hilgert (NE)
2021 – Thomas Palladino (TX)
2022 – James S. Hartsell (FL)

Honorary Members

Ray Boland – Past President
Stoney Wages – Past President
Charlie Smith – Past President
Hershel Gober – Sec. USDVA
Susan McCrea – USDVA
Bill Biggs – HMR
Clayton Clark – Vermont DVA
Louis Spinelli – MOPH
Allison Hickey – Asst. Sec. USDVA
John Garcia – Past President
Tammy Duckworth – House of Representatives
Les Beavers – Past President
Joey Strickland – Past President
Terry Schow – Past President
Jim Willis – Past President
Pete Wheeler – Past President

Conference Host

1948 – Illinois
1949 – Louisiana
1950 – Minnesota
1951 – Colorado
1952 – Maine
1953 – North Carolina
1954 – Oklahoma
1955 – Michigan
1956 – Kansas
1957 – West Virginia
1958 – Oregon
1959 – Illinois
1960 – Alabama
1961 – Wisconsin
1962 – Tennessee
1963 – California
1964 – New Jersey
1965 – Florida
1966 – Washington
1967 – Louisiana
1968 – Massachusetts
1969 – New Mexico
1970 – Virgin Islands
1971 – Oregon
1972 – Kentucky
1973 – Maryland
1974 – Arkansas
1975 – Arizona
1976 – Louisiana
1977 – Illinois
1978 – Nevada
1979 – Pennsylvania
1980 – Texas
1981 – South Carolina
1982 – Louisiana
1983 – Virgin Islands
1984 – New York
1985 – Alabama
1986 – Arizona
1987 – New Jersey
1988 – Mississippi
1989 – Oregon
1990 – Florida
1991 – Nevada
1992 – Arkansas
1993 – North Dakota
1994 – New Mexico
1995 – Virginia
1996 – Arizona
1997 – Mississippi
1998 – Wisconsin
1999 – Hawaii
2000 – Puerto Rico
2001 – No Conference
2002 – South Carolina
2003 – Louisiana
2004 – New York
2005 – Washington
2006 – Utah
2007 – Maryland
2008 – California
2009 – North Carolina
2010 – Alabama
2011 – Oregon
2012 – Puerto Rico
2013 – Tennessee
2014 – California
2015 – Florida
2016 – Texas
2017 – Virgin Islands
2018 – Massachusetts
2019 – Nebraska
2020 – No Conference
2021 – Nevada
2022 – Hawaii
2023 – New York
2024 – Indiana

Iron Mike Recipients

2001 – R. James Nicholson
2002 – Pete Wheeler
2003 – George P. Basher
2004 – Kenneth Fisher
2005 – Bob Filner
2006 – John Scocos
2007 – John Garcia
2008 – Leslie Beavers
2008 – Antonio Davila
2008 – John King
2008 – Joey Strickland
2009 – Arnold Schwarzengger
2009 – Bill Biggs
2010 – Terry Schow
2010 – Bob Riley
2011 – Tammy Duckworth
2011 – Eric Shinseki
2011 – Tom Kelley
2011 – Charlie Smith
2011 – Frank Salvas
2011 – Linda Schwartz
2012 – Mike Michaud
2012 – David Fletcher
2013 – Jim Willis
2013 – Allison Hickey
2014 – Steve Muro
2014 – Clyde W. Marsh
2015 – Lonnie Wangen
2015 – Jason Cain
2016 – David Brasuell
2017 – Randy Reeves
2018 – Verdie Bowen
2019 – Alfie Alvarado-Ramos
2021 – John Hilgert
2022 – Thomas Palladino
2024 – James S. Hartsell

Advocate of the Year

1997 – George Skypeck
1998 – BG Wilma Vaught
1999 – Diane Evans Carlson
2000 – Hershal Gober
2001 – Sonny Montgomery
2002 – Tommy G. Thompson
2003 – Lane Evans
2004 – Ray Boland
2005 – Anthony Principi
2006 – Michael McLendon
2009 – Jim Webb
2010 – Daniel Akaka
2011 – Patty Murray
2012 – Eric Shinseki
2013 – Dave Heineman
2013 – Jan Brewer
2014 – Dr. Jill Biden
2014 – Michelle Obama
2015 – Bernie Sanders
2016 – MG Joshua “Joe” Robles Jr.
2017 – Sloan Gibson and Robert McDonald
2018 – Scott Blackburn
2019 – Johnny Isakson
2020 – BG (ret) Les Beavers
2022 – Henry Huntley
2023 – Robert E. Wallace