Here are just a few of our dedicated volunteers.

John M. Lenti, Chairman, CEO

Mr. Lenti earned an engineering degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an MBA from Farleigh Dickinson University, and a Masters in Military Art and Science from the Army Command and General Staff College. He is a graduate of the US Army War College.   He was a member of the staff and faculty at West Point for seven years designing and teaching Leadership and related courses. He has been an adjunct faculty at USC since 1976. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V, 5 Legions of Merit, the Purple Heart, ARCOM w/V and other awards for exceptional service.  His military career included assignments in Special Operations, high level staff and as an instructor at West Point.

Mr. Lenti is the past director of the SC Small Business Development Center Program. The program coaches entrepreneurs in methodologies to turn a business idea into reality or enhance an already existing enterprise.  He helped develop similar business assistance programs in Poland, Hungary and Germany for the Small Business Committee of the US House of Representatives.  John, as an adjunct faculty member of the Moore School of Business, designed and teaches a highly regarded leadership course. 

Jack Lovelady, President, COO

Mr. Lovelady, a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, has served as President of the Celebrate Freedom Foundation since its inception in 1999. Mr. Lovelady additionally holds an Associate Degree in Science and numerous licenses from the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration.

As a senior Information Technology Manager with the Budget and Control Board, Chief Information Office, he was responsible for the operation and management of the State of South Carolina’s voice, video, and data networks and systems from 1989 until his retirement in 2009

Following Hurricane Hugo, Mr. Lovelady was appointed by the Governor to develop a multi-hazard “Program to Mitigate State Communications Warning and Control System Failures”, which was approved by FEMA as one of the first such programs in the nation.

Prior to joining South Carolina state government, he served in the position of Vice President Engineering and General Manager for several major NBC and CBS affiliate network operations. He was appointed by the Governor of New Mexico to serve on that state’s Information Systems Council. Mr. Lovelady is recognized by the FCC as having developed a model for measuring Airborne Radio Frequency Radiation Measurements, by helicopter, which has been adopted around the country. A number of articles have been published in national scientific and engineering journals, including the IEEE, pertaining to his work.

Mr. Lovelady is a veteran of the U.S. Army (1967-2007), having retired as a Communications-Electronics Officer with thirty-eight years of service in the Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard. He is a rotary wing aviator rated in the TH-55, H300C, BH205, BH206, OH-58, and UH-1H Huey helicopters. Mr. Lovelady is heavily involved in volunteer activities related to  science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education for “at-risk” students.     

Robert (Bob) Decker, Treasurer, CFO

Mr. Decker earned a Bachelor of Science degree in higher accounting and business administration from Elizabethton Business College. He retired from the US Army with over 20 years service. He is the recipient of the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal and other awards for exceptional service.  His military career included assignments in Vietnam and Berlin, Germany. 

Mr. Decker is the past District Governor of District 31 B in North Carolina for Lions International.  He is a recent retiree from W.B. Guimarin, Mechanical and Engineering Contractors in Columbia, South Carolina where he held a position as Assistant Controller.    

Johnnie R. Graham,
Board of Directors
Education Programs 

Mr. Graham is currently enrolled in the Business Management Undergraduate program at Webster University.

He served as the lead agent of the United States Special Operations Command Protective Services Detail at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida supervising 14 personnel with the responsibility of protecting the commander from assassination, kidnapping, injury and embarrassment. Mr. Graham has coordinated security operations with all levels of federal and foreign agencies to include the FBI, CIA, NSA, DOD, U.S. Secret Service, Jordanian Secret Service, Israeli Secret Service, Malaysian Secret Service and numerous other foreign security agencies. He has conducted security missions around the world to include Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Jordan, Israel, Colombia, Brazil, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, United Arab Emirates, India and numerous other locations. 

He served on a no-notice counter-terrorism force in Southeast Asia where he was in charge of 50 counter-terrorism personnel. Mr. Graham retired from the United States Army having served over 23 years. He served over 10 years as a United States Army Green Beret. Mr. Graham is a life member of the Special Forces Association.

Mr. Graham is the president of a company specializing in executive protection and security & threat vulnerability assessments.

Michael Mika, Secretary, CAO

Mr. Mika serves as the Project Manager for the prestigious Ally of Freedom Award.

Previously Michael served as a Human Resource Manager responsible for all personnel management and executive, managerial and technical training and as a Certified Compensation Professional in the electric power industry.  Michael also served as the Chairman of the Governor of Tennessee’s Welfare to Work Program for the greater metropolitan area of Chattanooga, Tennessee.  
Mr. Mika has more than 35 years of management experience that includes strategic planning, crisis management, community relations, and training.  He is a graduate of the University of Maryland where he received his undergraduate degree in Business Management and a graduate of Pepperdine University where he received his Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Management. 

Mr. Mika is retired from the United States Army having served over 20 years active service with over 10 years with the United States Army Special Forces.  He is a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy.  During his career, Michael has received numerous domestic and foreign military awards.  He currently serves as the President of the South Carolina Chapter of the Special Forces Association.

Larry Russell, Executive Director, CIO

Mr. Russell recently retired after 35 years in the Computer Industry.  After acquiring a degree in Computer Science, Mr. Russell worked for SC Farm Bureau, Policy Manual Systems, and the State of South Carolina.  Mr. Russell spent 10 years in the computer retail industry as Technical Manager for a national chain of computer stores, where he was in charge of all support services and training.  He holds certificates from IBM, Microsoft, HP, Compaq, Epson, 3Com and is a certified Network Systems Engineer.  Mr. Russell retired after being the CIO for the State Transport Police, Department of Public Safety of South Carolina.

Mr. Russell participates in numerous civic and social organizations.  He founded the Palmetto Personal Computer Club, the Carolina Classic Chevy Club, and was a past president of the South Carolina Helicopter Association. Mr. Russell is currently the President of the SC Chapter of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. He’s the Webmaster for the Vietnam Helicopter Flight Crew Network and the Celebrate Freedom Foundation.  He is a life member of the 1^st Cavalry Division Association and the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association.  Mr. Russell belongs to American Legion Post #6, the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 303, and the NRA. He is also a member of the Army Aviation Association of America.

Mr. Russell was a commissioned officer in the US Army and served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and a logistical staff officer.  He also served a tour of duty in Germany where he was an operations staff officer and a tank company commander.  He is the recipient of the Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars, eighteen Air Medals, and other awards for exceptional service  Larry currently serves as the Executive Director and CIO for the Celebrate Freedom Foundation, in Columbia SC.

Daniel C. Hennigan, Board of Directors

Dan has over 35 years of professional global military and automotive manufacturing corporate experience. Dan is retired from the U.S. Army and TRW.  In the Military, Dan held global leadership and combat positions as a Unit Commander, Provost Marshall ( Chief of Police ), Operations Officer, Personnel Officer and  Platoon Leader. In the Corporate world, and after Dan’s Manufacturing Fellowship Rotation with General Motors which included attending Harvard University Business School,  Dan went on to hold global executive management positions in Sales, Marketing, New Business Development, Application Engineering, and Program Management with TRW, Siemens AG Joint Venture, Paramedic Technology Corporation ( PTC ), and was part of starting up  2 Technology Companies. Dan’s product, production, manufacturing, and quality  expertise started out in managing a Heat Treat, major/secondary sheet metal and control arms plant. However, the majority of Dan’s corporate career was spent in Airbags, Seat Belts, Sensors/Electronics and component/system development and sales, to include introducing the Occupant Safety Restraint Systems ( OSRS )  to the automotive world in the early 90’s. Dan has a undergraduate degree in Secondary Education from MSU in 1974 and graduate degree in Business from CMU in 1979.

Dan is currently retired and the Program Chairman for the Lexington, SC Rotary Club, Honorary South Carolina Lexington County Deputy Sheriff, Sheriff’s Advisory Council Member, Founder of “The South Carolina Remembers 9/11 Student Essay Contest with the Fire Department of NYC”  http://www.scremembersny911.com/ “ and “The  First Responders Remembrance Memorial ” to be built in 2011 with two 2001 WTC  15 foot Steel Beams from Tower 1 which was awarded to Dan in NYC on September 7,2010 ( Dan also received the World Trade Center Artifacts Memorial Programs “Above and Beyond” Award in NYC on November 11,2010 , SC Honor Flight Board Member, Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) Board Member, USO Board Member, and is very active in charity work in the SC Midlands. Dan is married to Cindi for over  35 years, and they have two boys, Bryan, University of Dayton ‘2003 grad ( PLM Manufacturing Software Regional Sales Manager ) & Jason, Virginia Military Institute Grad (VMI ’99),  82^nd ABN Division  Military Kiowa Warrior  Pilot/Commander with over 28 months in IRAQ and now serves as a J-Hawk Pilot in the USCG

Bruce E. Rippeteau, Board, Co-Founder, Past-Corporate Secretary, Past-President

Bruce Rippeteau, a graduate of the University of Nebraska, honorably discharged from the US Army, and a PhD in Nuclear Chemistry and Archaeology from Case Western Reserve University, is a Co-Founder of the Foundation in 1999 and one of the three forerunners from 1997. A research scientist with 100 publications, and some 3000 as senior author, he was a faculty member of the University of South Carolina and the SUNY, a Vice Chair of the Richland County Airport Commission, and is retired from 30 years as head of the SCIAA at USC and SC state government, and other state research and land management agencies in NYS and Colorado.

A past president of the Rotary Club of Columbia, Bruce was on the Advisory Board of the Palmetto-Fort Jackson Chapter of the Association of the US Army and is a life member of the AUSA. He has had past positions as president of the Piedmont Chapter of the Explorers Club, the SC Aviation Association Hall of Fame Committee, the Board of Historic Camden, as secretary of the Society for American Archaeology, and is a past chairman of the SC Heritage Trust, SC Department of Natural Resources

In retirement, he is currently a staff officer in the USCG Auxiliary, Ninth District Eastern Region ("2009 Division Commander's Award"). Recently, he resides in Cape Vincent NY (near Ft Drum) and in Lincoln NE (where he learned to fly at KLNK/LAFB), and remains on the Celebrate Freedom Foundation Board in an emeritus capacity.