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OFFICERS AND BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
Salute America Board Members and Committee Chairs
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Founder
Douglas L. Young
President
Sharrieffa
Barksdale-Blair
Members of Board
Carol Connors
Carol Autenrieth
Keith Colley
Joe Cassini
Kelley Foster
Kay Wilder
Carmelita Pittman
Teddy Chambers
Dr. Sally Acosta
(Retired)
Herb J. Newton
Becky Loree
Gerri Granger
David Dunaway
Kevork Masdanian
Emmanuel Snitkovsky
(Deceased)
Ross Orenstein
and
Joe Bryson
International
Raju Chandrasekar
Advisory Board
James "Pasqual" Bettio
Founder,
The ARTery USA
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DOUGLAS L. YOUNG -
Founder and Chair
of
Salute America Campaign
(Oak Ridge, Tennessee)
Mr. Young is the founder of the Salute America and the
Foundation for Extra Effort (FEE). Mr. Young has substantial experience in production,
marketing, public relations and business development. In 2005
he produced
Let's Talk
Football in Tennessee - two local television shows in
East Tennessee and a radio sports talk show airing across four radio
stations. Mr. Young is the Marketing Manager, Director of Public
Relations and business development for a major Nissan dealership. He
is also a project coordinator
for a real estate development company.
He is on the Board of Directors for the Dance Hall of Fame (Los
Angeles), Chaired the Committee for "Tennessee Pride," and has
produced numerous events.
SHARRIEFFA
BARKSDALE-BLAIR
- President,
Salute America Campaign
and Founding Member of Salute America Board (Lexington,
Kentucky)
Ms.
Blair was on the United States Olympic Team (1984). She is a former
American record holder in the 400m hurdles and was an outstanding
member of the University of Tennessee track team for four years. Ms.
Blair is presently the Vice President for the
USA Track and Field (USATF) Alumni Association. In 2005, Ms. Blair
was appointed liaison for the Junior Pan Am Team by the USATF. Ms.
Blair presently
serves on the Board of Commissioners for Lex Linc. Mrs. Blair
was appointed
in 1999 by Kentucky Governor Paul E. Patton to the Council for
Families and Children. She was the Head Track Coach
(Women) and Assistant Track Coach
(Men) for Kentucky State University and a former assistant track
coach for Florida A&M. She is the assistant coach for the
Dunbar High School track Team in Lexington, KY which won the 2005
State Championship. She has maintained key management
positions during her career. In addition to being a motivational
speaker, and conducting seminars, Mrs. Blair founded
a girl’s dance troupe, the Kentucky Diamonds, manages
singer Tracie Hines, and remain active in many community matters. Ms
Blair was appointed to the Board of the NCAA in June of 2002.Ms.
Blair was recently selected to be the 2004 USA Track and Field Asst.
Coach for The Junior World Championship, which will be held in
Italy.
See bio -
Contact Ms. Blair -
Listen to Radio Interview with Sharrieffa and Johnny Gray
and NEW
Listen to July 2007 Interview with Sharrieffa
and Johnny Gray
CAROL
CONNORS
- Founding Member of Board
Salute America
(Beverly Hills, California)
Carol
Connors has been nominated for 10 major music awards,
including, 5 Emmys, 1 Grammy, 2 Golden Globes, and 2
Oscars..... one for co-writing the theme from Rocky "Gonna Fly
Now." She has also received numerous Gold and Platinum records
and has been recognized by The John F. Kennedy University with
an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts and Public Service. She sang
the National Anthem at the Military Ball for President George
Bush's inauguration in 2000 and now makes public appearances
at appropriate events. She
wrote the inspiring song "There's
a Winner in You" which is the theme song for the Salute
America Campaign.
CAROL AUTENRIETH - Member of Board
Salute America and Los Angeles Chapter Chair
(Culver City, California)
Mrs. Autenrieth is a
community leader who has founded, promoted and organized many
community events. She works actively to promote history and
historical events in Los Angeles. For the past 9 years she has
been the Chair of the Fort Moore Memorial Committee and has produced
their 4th of July tribute to the history of Los Angeles. See 12th
Annual Fourth of July Historical Tribute. Mrs.
Autenrieth has
worked in the motion
picture and television industry since 1975. She speaks to community
groups about how to organize events and work with government. In
addition, a member of Daughters of Utah
Pioneers, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Camp Captain, since 1986, Daughters of Utah
Pioneers, Los Angeles West Company # 211 President, since 1990, Fort
Moore Memorial Founder and Chairman, and July 4th program
producer since 1997, Director of Public
Affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Santa
Monica Stake, since 1999, Interfaith Alliance of
Culver City member since 2002 and Chairman of the “Family Week”
2002 & 2003.
KEITH COLLEY -
Member of Board
of
Salute America
(Los Angeles, California)
Mr. Colley is Founder
The CAN DO! Project
and
Producer/Arranger of “CAN DO!”, children’s
music CD.
Has produced hundreds of
recordings, numerous stage productions and live performances. Has
enjoyed regional hit records and one national/international record.
Mr. Colley has performed with many top name personalities throughout
the years including Bob Hope, Glenn Campbell, Art Linkletter,
Phyllis Diller, The Beach Boys, Fabian, Bobby Rydel, Duane Eddy, Jan
& Dean, and Seals & Crofts. Mr. Colley performed as lead or
background vocalist on approximately 500 recordings. Has written
ten national hits & approximately 300 songs, with air play in
foreign countries including Spain, England, Germany, Italy, France,
Belgium, the Netherlands, and other European and South American
countries as well as USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Australia.
Accomplishments include approximately 200 master recordings by such
artists as Tom Jones, Rick Nelson, Pat Boone, Jackie DeShannon, Gary
Lewis and the Playboys, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap,
Kenny Rogers and many others. Colley’s songs are featured
internationally on television specials and films including the
popular 2003 sit-com “Scrubs”. Colley is a BMI affiliated songwriter
and a member of the National Songwriters Academy. Twenty-five of
his songs have been recorded by artists who have occupied the number
one position on Billboard’s Top 100 charts.
KELLY FOSTER
- Member of Board of Salute America and Chair of Community Relations
(Los Angeles, California)
Miss Kelley Foster is
vocalist,
writer, designer, consultant and organizer. She is the president of
Kelley Foster Productions and director of "Fly With Los
Angeles", A New City Anthem raising funds for L.A. area nonprofits:
www.FlyWithLosAngeles.org.
Kelley is affiliated with: Jazz Vocal Coalition
www.jzvoc.org,
The Randy Van Horne Singers, Glassell Park Improvement Association
www.gpia.org,
Glassell Park Chamber of Commerce, California Lawyers for the Arts
www.cla.org, and Santa Cecilia Orchestra
www.scorchestra.org.
She is the Salute America the
Chair of Community Relations for the Salute America/Fort Moore
Memorial Committee Salute to Los as the Creative Capital of
the World set for July 4, 2006 in downtown Los Angeles.
CARMELITA PITTMAN -
Member of Board
of
Salute America
(Los Angeles, California)
Carmelita Pittman
founded the Rose Breast Cancer Society 1998 in memory of her
mother and produces the Annual Rose Variety Arts Show for the
organization. She also co-founded the Annual Pre-Grammy Music
Industry Gala. A native Angeleno, of multicultural and artistic
heritage, she was a child protégée beginning her artistic
journey at age four as a visual artist and later becoming a self
taught classical pianist , vocalist and Manipuri dancer. She
was awarded the Ross Spayne Perry art scholarship at U.S.C.
during the exhibition of her art work at Fisher Gallery. She
graduated with a B.F.A. from U.S.C. and later received a Master
of Science Degree from Pepperdine. She became a L.A.U.S.D.
premier art instructor guiding numerous students to receive art
scholarships and awards for many years. She is currently a
soloist in St. Paul's Catholic Church Gospel choir and is
affiliated with Sharing Friends of the Arts , Salute America,
Artists for a Better World, Hollywood Arts Council.
TEDDY CHAMBERS -
Member of Board
of
Salute America
(Los Angeles, California)
Ms. Chambers is the Executive Director
of Hollywood Partnership for a Better Community and Director of
Community Relations for Narconon International. Ms. Chambers has substantial
public relations and event production experience. She also serves
on the Executive Committee for the Los Angeles Chapter of Salute
America.
EMMANUEL SNITKOVSKY - (Deceased
2005) Permanent Honorary
Member of Board
of
Salute America
(Palm Springs, California)
Mr. Snitkovsky is an internationally renowned world famous artist,
sculpture and poet. His work of art is included in collections of the
Japanese Imperial Family, Prince Mohammed of Saudi Arabia, Clint Eastwood,
Jose Iber, M. Rastropovich and many others. Mr. Snitkovsky has sold at
Sotheby's and Christie's alongside the works of Matisse, Rodin, Picasso
and Toulouse Lautrec. His Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton on Hollywood Boulevard have
become Hollywood landmarks. Snitkovsky's two Sonny Bona sculptures may be seen at the Palm
Springs airport and in the center of downtown Palms Springs. He has done
sculptures of Lucille Ball and
has plans for Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope. Snitkovsky's poetry
may be found in the Library of Congress and was selected for inclusion by
the Library of Congress for
the years 2001 and 2002. Mr. Snitkovsky will be exhibiting in museums in
Russia this year and is becoming a collectors item. See
more
and
www.snitkovsky.com
JOE
CASSINI - Founding Member of Board
Salute America
(Los Angeles, California)
Mr.
Cassini is a producer, choreographer, and director. He is currently
the President of J. J. Productions and Founder and President of the
Dance Hall of Fame. Mr. Cassini has produced, directed or
choreographed many major stars including, Anne Margaret, Connie
Stevens, Tom Jones, Lucille Ball, Fabian, Eric Estrada, Bobby Darin,
and others. The Valentino Award and the Feather Award are among his
awards He received a life-time achievement award in June of
2002 for his contributions to dance.
KAY WILDER
-
Member of Board Salute America and Committee to Establish "Crusaders
for Achievement" (Tallahassee, Florida)
Ms.
Wilder is a
presently, a professor
of Graphic Design with Florida A&M.
Additionally, she has taught Advertising Design at California State
University, Northridge, California, Woodbury University, Burbank,
California, The American University in Arabia.
She has been a
freelance production artist, project manager, and designer, on
numerous national campaigns for Toyota, IBM, Disney and Motown
Records to name a few. Over
the years she has worked with University design classes to develop
over twenty award winning city and statewide community based
advertising campaigns, promoting environmental cleanup, recycling,
anti-graffiti, literacy and driver safety. The current graphic
project at Florida A&M is seat belt safety/motorcycle safety for the
state of Florida. She is also an accomplished singer and song writer
having produced several country albums with her original material.
See
www.wildercountry.com.
ROSS ORENSTEIN
-
Member of Board Salute America ( Pensacola, Florida)
Award winning children’s songwriter and
President/CEO of RODOG Productions, Inc. He is licensed by National
Crime Prevention Council to write music for McGruff the Crime Dog …
www.crimedog.com
and created the Safety Ape character to teach important injury
prevention messages through music …
www.safetyape.com
Wrote an internet safety song for National Crime Prevention Council
that is being made into PSA. In addition, Mr. Orenstein wrote and
produced music for Rotary Club International’s Four Way Test Project
…
www.officialproducts.com/rotary.htm;
produced and wrote music for Coca Cola and RIF (Reading is
Fundamental) Story Traveler Tour which won silver REGGIE® Award for cause related
promotions. He is a past President of Pensacola Bay Area
Advertising Federation .
Dr. SALLY
ACOSTA (Retired) - Founding Member of Board
Salute America
(Los Angeles, California)
Dr. Acosta is one of the nation’s leading advocates for senior causes with
over 30 years public and community service. She currently sits as a
Commissioner for the California Commission on Aging - appointed by
Governor Gray Davis. In addition, she is a Sr. Assemblywoman on her 7th
term for the California Senior Legislature. She has received many
awards for her dedicated service to the community. Among them, she
was given the 1999 United Nations International Year of the Older
Person Award. She is a past
President of the Los Angeles Council on Aging. Dr. Acosta was conferred
doctor of humanities by the Philippine Women’s University in Manila in
April 2003.
HERB
J. NEWTON -
Member of Board
Salute America
(Knoxville, Tennessee)
Herb
Newton is a serial entrepreneur having established a major internet
media company, a national advertising agency, a nationwide
telephone company, numerous car dealerships that were in the top ten
in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina, and substantial real estate projects. He sat
on the Board of a major NASDAQ company and is the President of Herb
Newton Nissan. Herb Newton is the Founder and owner of
Herb
Newton Nissan in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. See
www.herbnewton.com
BECKY LOREE -
Member of Board
Salute America
(Nashville, Tennessee)
Ms.
Loree is the President/Founder of USA Title and Escrow, Inc. and
Pineapple Realty in Nashville, Tennessee. She sponsored a three hour
Horne Radio broadcast from the American Museum of Science and Energy
(AMSE) and Salute America T-shirts for Oak Ridge "Tennessee Pride"
Day on December 13, 2003.
GERRI
GRANGER - Member of Board
Salute America
(Port Norris, New Jersey)
Ms.
Granger is presently an English teacher in New Jersey working with
prison inmates to provide them a new start. Ms. Granger is a singer
and entertainer. She appeared on the Johnny Carson show over 45
times, the Mike Douglas Show, Steve Allen Show, and the Ed Sullivan
Show. She toured the world with Sammy Davis, Jr. as his opening
act. She has appear in Los Vegas and Lake Tahoe with Redd Foxx, Joey
Bishop, Totie Fields, and others. She has recorded for 20th Century
Fox, headlined at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, worked at the Apollo,
and opened for the legendary Sam Cooke.
DAVID
DUNAWAY -
Member of Board
Salute America
(LaFollette, Tennessee)
Mr.
Dunaway is a leading civil rights and workmen's compensation
attorney. Dunaway is an
advocate to improve communities and education. He was the 2000 Democratic
Nominee for Congress in the 4th District State of Tennessee in his
first campaign for Congress. He is general counsel for Salute
America.
KEVORK MASDANIAN
-
Member of Board
Salute America
(Providence, Rhode Island)
Mr. Masdanian has over 20 years of communications, management,
and sales experience and executive skills. He has ssuccessfully
helped develop a large customer base for several companies and
has been responsible of building sales teams. Among other
credits, he is a former President of the PTF.
GUKAS FOLYAN
-
Member of Board
Salute America
(New York, New York)
Mr. Folyan is a motivated entrepreneur
with executive management experience. Mr. Folyan has started and
built businesses with his personnel skills, detailed research,
insight, creativity and persistence. Among other things, Mr. Folyan
is the Founder of the United Cultural Association and sponsored the
First Annual Armenian/Russian Extra Effort Awards produced for
Armenian Television.
DAN HOGAN -
Member of Board
Salute America
(Madison, Wisconsin)
Mr. Hogan is the President of
T.A.S. Communications, Inc. He is a member of the Great
Lakes Telemessaging Services Association (G.L.T.S.A.), is the
treasurer of the Telephone Answering Services Association of
Wisconsin (T.A.S.A.W.), is a member of the Association of
Telemessaging Services International (A.T.S.I) and is on the Board
of Directors of the National Amtelco Equipment Owners user group (N.A.E.O).
Among the clients of T.A.S. Communications is the documentary - "Ben
Hogan - A Hard Case from Texas"
JOE BRYSON -
Member of Board
Salute America
(Knoxville, Tennessee)
Mr. Bryson is a military veteran, school
teacher, psychiatric counselor , businessman, community activist.
Mr. Bryson has a special interest in
providing awards to teachers for their contributions to the
education of our children and other contributions that go beyond
teaching. Mr. Bryson is the Tennessee State Chairman for Salute
America.
International
RAJU
CHANDRASEKAR
-
Member of International Board
Salute America
(India/Pakistan Contact)
Mr.
Chandrasekar is currently the Director of the
World
Development Foundation.
See CV.
Among his many
credits are Advisor to the United Nations agency International Trade
Center (Geneva);
Panelist in the Advisory panel of ADB, World Bank, and other
U.N. related organizations; Associate of the International Trade
& Technology Associates Inc. of USA;
Senior Executive of Bharat
Electronics Ltd. (India);.General Manager of Kerala State
Electronics & Industrial Development (India); Operations Manager
of Beckman USA for India (a MNC);
Managing Director of CSD Technologies (P) Ltd., India; and
Member of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce,
India.
Fred Simmons
"THERE'S A WINNER IN YOU"
Thank you for your inspirational documentary on
Ben Hogan
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