Friday, March 12th, 2010

We were delighted to learn that President Obama is giving $250,000 of his Nobel Peace Prize award to Fisher House. As part of his pledge to donate all of the $1.4 million award, it’s also noteworthy that Fisher House received the largest donation among a group of leading charitable organizations, which included the Clinton-Bush Haiti Relief Fund. This further demonstrates that Fisher House is among the best in American philanthropy.

We are proud of Fisher House, and have been longtime supporters of them as well. Their public/private partnerships are making a significant impact on the lives of the critically wounded and their families.

“The program is now becoming part of the American consciousness,” Chief Executive Ken Fisher told Veterans Advantage in an exclusive interview, our current VetFamily honoree. “It’s slowly but surely starting to gain a lot of momentum.”

Just two days before the announcement, I visited Ken’s offices to present our VetFamily Award to him. I was joined by Roy Asfar, our Vice President of Marketing, and producer of Ken’s VetFamily award designation, as well as Veterans Advantage board members Peter Eldredge and Gerry Byrne. Gerry is also on the Board of Fisher House.

(l. to r. ) Peter Eldredge, Ken Fisher, Scott Higgins, Gerry Byrne

Posted in News, Photos, Veterans Advantage Advisory Board, charitable activities | No Comments »

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Just prior to Veterans Day, we honored Navy Vet and Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam with a TopVet Award. Lin, Board member Peter Eldredge and Roy Asfar, our marketing VP, travelled to the sprawling corporate headquarters of Verizon Wireless in Basking Ridge, NJ and met with Lowell and his corporate communications chief, Jim Gerace. We presented Lowell with a framed copy of his TopVet Award for his service and achievements following his 4-year Navy stint. Lowell attributes his remarkable climb to the top of the largest U.S. carrier in part to the skills and experience he acquired in the Navy. “The things you learn in the service will stay with you your whole life,” he said. Lowell’s a wonderful guy, smart, knowledgeable and proud to be recognized for his service. It was truly a pleasure to meet him and recognize his achievements. Read our profile of Lowell McAdam.

Verizon Wireless has been very active lately with new products and services, and we salute the company for having one of the Navy’s best at the helm. Veterans Advantage hopes to work with Lowell’s team in the future to recognize service to our nation. Stay tuned.

Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam receives "TopVet Award” from Veterans Advantage Founder and CEO Scott Higgins

Tags: lowell mcadam, topvet, verizon wireless
Posted in Photos | No Comments »

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Those on staff here had a chuckle to watch the latest “Colbert Report,” starring Stephen Colbert as he traded yuks with Gen. Odierno, airing on tape from one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces. The show, which is due to air from Iraq most of this week received assistance from the USO. Colbert came on stage like a former USO star – Bob Hope – swinging a golf club and joking about the weather.

But the kicker was watching Odierno shave Colbert’s head, on orders from President Obama.

Both the character and the real Colbert are ardent supporters of the troops. He has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Yellow Ribbon Fund, which helps injured service members and their families, and is a board member of DonorsChoose.org, which is raising money for the education of children of military parents.

Tags: colbert, donorschoose.org, odierno shave colbert’s head
Posted in Events, News, Photos | No Comments »

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

In late autumn last year, my son and Gettysburg College Freshman Parker Higgins spent an active and picturesque weekend afternoon with two friends on the grounds of the Gettysburg battlefield. Skateboarding to the summit of Little Round Top (the high ground of the battlefield overlooking the wheat field where Picket made his ill-fated charge), he thought he had the beautiful view all to himself, when he spotted two imposing snipers carrying long-range rifles, one to his right and the other to his left.

Yes, you read correctly. Snipers. “Yikes,” he thought and asked them what was going on. They said “nothing.” Then, he asked them if it was all right for him to be there. And they said, “yes, it was OK”. At that point, a caravan of cars and SUV’s pulled up and out of one, jumped …President Bush! He walked straight over to Parker, shook hands and asked “did you come up all the way to the top on that board?”

The former president was touring the battlefield for the first time, having flown by Marine Corps One from Camp David with friends and family. He and Parker exchanged some memorable – and fun – insights about the area, including a special salute to Veterans Advantage – “be sure to tell your parents thank you for everything they do for veterans.”

Anyway, back to the promise – the President promised to send a signed photo of Parker’s chance encounter. We wondered if it ever would arrive, especially since inauguration day had come and gone.

But true to his promise, President Bush delivered with a signed photograph. [See below].

It was nice of him to remember. Go Parker!

Tags: parker higgins, president bush
Posted in Photos | No Comments »

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

I was honored to have received in my mailbox just last week photographs from the New York City Mayor’s office, which included several of our team members with the Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as part of a special Veterans Day breakfast he hosted last November. Veterans Advantage and the City of New York have always been in close communication for efforts to support those who served, ever since I (you’ll see me pictured first with the mayor and Veterans Advantage Chief Operating Officer Lin Higgins) co-founded the New York City Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the 1980s.

We salute the City of New York!

Tags: Hon. Michael Bloomberg, photos from veterans day
Posted in Photos | No Comments »