Board of Directors
22 January 2026 2026-04-11 12:17Board of Directors
MacArthur Society
Board of Directors
Tom McInerney, USMA '59
Lt General Thomas McInerney, USAF (Ret.) is a 1959 graduate of West Point. He retired from military service as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He served in numerous key Air Force assignments and has extensive military command and overseas experience. A command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours, General McInerney completed four tours of duty in Vietnam, flight reconnaissance missions during the Cuban missile crisis and air escort missions in the Berlin Corridor. He commanded the 3rd Air Force in England, was the Vice Commander in Chief of US Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein AFB in Germany, and was the commander of Alaskan Air Commander, later the 11th Air Force. After retiring, General McInerney was a Vice President at Loral Defense Systems and started his own consulting company. He was the Chief Executive Officer and President of Business Executives for National Security, and he was a Fox News military analyst. Full USAF Bio. At the Thayer Hotel, there is a plaque about his brothers and father–all West Point graduates.
Paul Vallely, USMA '61
Major General Paul Vallely, US Army (Ret.), is a 1961 graduate of West Point and served a distinguished career of 31 years in the US Army before he retired as Deputy Commanding General, US Army Pacific, in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1992. General Vallely is a graduate of the Infantry School, Ranger and Airborne Schools, Jumpmaster School, the Command and General Staff School, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and the Army War College. His combat service in Vietnam included positions as infantry company commander, intelligence officer, operations officer, military advisor, and aide-de-camp. He has over fifteen (15) years’ experience in Special Operations, Psychological Operations, and Civil-Military Operations. After serving in two combat tours in Vietnam, he also served in several other overseas theaters in Europe and Pacific Rim countries. Vallely served on US security assistance missions and on civilian-military relations tours in Europe, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, Israel, Indonesia, and Central America.
Mick Zais, USMA '69
Brig. General Mick Zais, PhD, US Army (Ret.) is a 1969 graduate of West Point. He has served as a senior fellow at America First Policy Institute, and is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of STARRS. Zais served as the Deputy and Acting US Secretary of Education during the first Trump administration. Previously, he was elected South Carolina’s 17th State Superintendent of Education. He has served as Commissioner of Higher Education in South Carolina for eight years, and for 10 years as president of Newberry College in that state. Zais retired as an infantry brigadier general after 31 years in the US Army, including service in Vietnam, Korea, Panama, and Kuwait. He is a paratrooper and Ranger. Biography
Ernie Audino, USMA '83
Brig. General Ernest Audino, US Army (Ret.), is a 1983 graduate of West Point in 1983 and retired from the Army in 2011. He served multiple assignments in armor, cavalry, infantry and Stryker units. Other key assignments include service as an Army Congressional Fellow in the US Senate, duty as the Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Director of Nuclear Support at the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency. His last assignment was as the Deputy Director of Operations for Headquarters, US Army, in the Pentagon. He served as District Director for U.S. Congressman Michael Waltz from Florida (who is a VMI grad). Biography
Sam Thiessen, USMA '73
Colonel Sam Thiessen, US Army (Ret.) is a 1973 graduate of West Point. He is actively involved in the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and served as Seventh Region President from 2014 to 2020. He is currently CEO at Ag Bio-Power, LC, and is a part-time analyst with the Northrop Grumman Corporation. Sam also serves on the Board of Directors of STARRS.
Charlie Rash, USMA '73
Colonel Charles R. Rash, US Army (Ret), is a 1973 graduate of West Point, and retired as Deputy Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff Operations and Plans Force Development, Army Staff. He received his MBA from Widener University, is Acquisition level III certified in Program Management and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College. During his 26 years on active duty, he commanded in the 82nd Airborne Division, 56th Field Artillery Command (Pershing) and 10th Mountain Division. Staff assignments included G-3 and Chief of Staff Army Space and Strategic Defense Command. From 2004-2005 he was asked to serve as the Acting Deputy Program Executive Office Soldier to help stand up, organize and secure funding for the procurement of new equipment to replace and refit Soldier equipment throughout the Active, Reserve and Guard forces during the GWOT. Following retirement from the US Army, he served in a variety of corporate positions including Chairman, Board of Directors Forfeiture Support Associates and Senior VP Business Development, L-3 MPRI.
Richard Kline, USMA '67
Richard Kline is a 1967 graduate of West Point. He was a commissioned Second Lieutenant in U.S. Air Force and served 9 1/2 years as systems analyst primarily in the nuclear field. He holds Master’s Degrees in Systems Analysis (Stanford University, 1972) and Physics (University of New Mexico 1973). In 1977, Richard accepted Civil Service Appointment and served in U.S. Department of Energy, U. S. Department of Health Education and Welfare, and U.S. Department of Defense. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 1981. In private sector, Richard joined McDonnell Douglas in 1982 as General Manager of the State of Arizona Medicaid Implementation Project, and in 1983 joined Choice Group Partners where he operated HMO’s in Arizona. Richard is the Founder and CEO of Systems Choice Group in 1985 which he sold in 1987 to GTE. Afterwards he became VP & General Manager for GTE Health Systems and afterwards was an Independent Healthcare Information Systems Consultant from 1994 to 2010. Richard is married Margaret Gates Kline since 1967. He is the father of three children, one of which is a graduate of the Naval Academy. Has resided in Arizona since 1982.
Bill Fletcher, USMA '74
Lt. Colonel Bill Fletcher, USAF (Ret.) is a 1974 graduate of West Point. Growing up an Air Force brat, having been born on Chateauroux Air Force Base in France, he joined the US Air Force after graduating. He became an Air Force aviator and has 1,750 hours flying as an Instructor Weapons Systems Officer in the F-4 fighter. He served as the Executive Officer in IG office of the 116th Tactical Fighter Wing in the Georgia Air National Guard, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. Bill earned his law degree in 1986 from Emory University and has 37 years general civil practice (retired but license still active). He is licensed and practiced in all courts in Georgia including Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, Federal District Court Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, 11th Circuit US Court of Appeals and the Federal District Court Colorado.
Scott Shires, USMA '74
Lt. Colonel Scott Shires, US Army (Ret.) is a 1974 graduate of West Point. While serving in the Army Scott became a Ranger, served as company commander in numerous posts, and an was aide-de-camp for a one star and three-star general. His leadership and teaching skills were recognized in his selection as the Director of Enlisted Courses for Colorado and Wyoming. Scott retired after 22 years of service as a Lieutenant Colonel. As the founder of Shires Financial, Scott has over 25 years of experience in providing investment advisory advice and comprehensive financial analysis for individuals and small businesses. His career has demonstrated outstanding management ability, especially in the area of operations, strategic planning, information and financial systems. Mr. Shires has represented numerous clients over the years in negotiations with government entities, including the EPA and the IRS. He is skilled at building effective and cohesive management teams, producing above average growth and profitability. He brings his leadership, team-building, and strategic skills to enhance the planning and implementation of strategies for the clients of Shires Financial.
Tony Lentini, USMA '71
Tony Lentini is an Army Brat who grew up around the world and graduated from West Point in 1971. He was commissioned as an Armor Officer and served in the 2/34 Armor, 1/77 Armor, 4th ID HQ and 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Nuremberg, Germany. He left the service in 1976 and pursued a civilian career in energy with Middle South Utilities (now Entergy), Mitchell Energy & Development Corp. and Apache Corporation where he was Vice President of Public & International Affairs. He then ran his own company, Lentini Creative Communications. Tony is now retired in the Houston area. He is a founding board member of the MacArthur Society of West Point Graduates and writes op-ed pieces for AMERICAN THINKER, REAL CLEAR DEFENSE and other publications.
