Board of Directors
• Robert Beckley – Chairman
• Mike Lynch – President and CEO
• Tom Arnold – Vice President
• Leonard Rogers – Secretary/Treasurer
• Gorham L. Black, III, – Director
• Michael Hartford – Director
• Diane Hartmann – Director
Robert Beckley is a graduate of Glendale College, Glendale, Arizona with a major in Business Management. Beckley has served on the Board of Directors of Help Hospitalized Veterans since 1997. He is the manager of the Fixed Base Operations of Legend Aviation and Station Manager for Horizon Air at the Prescott, Arizona airport.
Beckley is a public servant of the Prescott area and encourages others to give back to their community through business and local programs. Beckley currently serves on the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s Voluntary Service Committee. He contributes his spare time as a volunteer at the VA Medical Center, Prescott, Arizona.
Serving on Help Hospitalized Veterans’ Board of Directors has brought Beckley a great sense of humility and pride. Beckley feels it’s a tremendous honor to be associated with an organization that has provided such a wonderful resource for America’s veterans, and a way to extend an ongoing enormous “thank you” to our hospitalized veterans.
Beckley is married with three children. He enjoys golf, horseback riding and spending time with his spouse and family.
Mike Lynch – President and CEO
Mike Lynch is a Vietnam veteran serving as President/CEO of Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV). A native Texan transplanted in California as a result of his over six years serving in the United States Navy aboard two naval war ships and a communications station. Since 1989, Lynch has been instrumental in the many positive changes of the organization. He is the chief operating officer charged with the responsibility of implementing programs and with the complete fiduciary management for the organization’s $35 million annual operating budget.
The distribution of therapeutic arts and crafts to veteran patients has been the founding program of HHV, and under his leadership Lynch has taken the distribution to almost a million products per year. He has been a driving force for the VA’s National Veterans Creative Arts Festival since 1991, to which HHV has contributed nearly $1 million to promote and co-sponsor this extraordinary event. Lynch also initiated HHV’s involvement in many special events of the VA including the co-sponsorship of the National Veterans Golden Age Games, National Veterans T.E.E. Tournament, founding sponsorship of the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic and many more local VA activities.
Through his leadership the organization is a member of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) for VA Voluntary Services as a service organization, a member NAC’s Executive Committee along with an associate membership of the National Veterans Day Committee. He is responsible for the implementing of HHV’s support of VA’s National Salute to Veteran Patients, Valentines for Veterans Concerts, Re-Creation, USA and Bugles Across America.
Lynch initiated craft purchases through the Compensated Work Therapy/Incentive Therapy (CWT/IT), a Department of Veterans Affairs rehabilitation program which allows veterans to manufacture craft kits for distribution to other veterans. HHV has purchased $2.3 million worth of crafts through the CWT/IT program. He implemented a program that provided veteran’s hospitals with voice activated computers and portable WebTV systems for veterans to travel the Internet while hospitalized. He is responsible for providing computers, videos and other educational materials to disabled veterans that are homebound as a direct result of combat through the Special Projects Department of the organization.
Lynch is responsible for the implementation of the HHV Craft Care Specialist (CCS) program that will soon be available within 70 VA hospitals and most recently into four major DOD medical facilities (Walter Reed Army Medical Center in D.C., Brooke Army Regional Medical Center in Texas, Tripler Army Regional Medical Center in Hawaii and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany). The program allows CCS’s, who are paid HHV staff members, to work hand in hand with medical staff in the distribution and assisting with craft kit therapy for hospitalized veterans. The program continues to receive extraordinary accolades from VA management as it continues to augment VA’s mission with product distribution and volunteer recruitment.
Lynch is member of several veterans’ organizations with a focus that makes a positive contribution in veteran’s and youth lives. With two sons, he is one that believes in improving society through the education of youth about the history of America’s veterans and through proper focus of their activities. Lynch is a true southern gentleman and patriot that advocates courtesy and respect to all those that focus on patriotism and the liberties of a free world. He is an outdoorsman that enjoys fishing, golf, traveling and open space. He is a true friend and advocate for America’s veterans and the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Lynch is a fair and persistent individual that continues to motivate those he meets to support all programs that recognizes America’s veterans. He is a leader by action, and a humble person by character who places others before himself.
Tom Arnold – Vice President
Thomas Arnold retired from the California Department of Veterans Affairs in January, 2003. Prior to retirement, Arnold was Administrator of the Southern California Veterans Home in Chula Vista. Previous to this appointment Arnold worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for over 26 years. He held the positions of Director and Associate Director at VA medical centers in San Diego, California; Southern California System of Clinics; Iron Mountain, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Fayetteville, North Carolina and Lake City, Florida. Arnold has also served as a management analyst with the Veterans Administration Inspector General’s Office and as a senior healthcare system specialist at the VA central office in Washington, D.C.
Arnold received his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and master’s degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. He is a diplomat in the American College of Health Care Administrators.
Arnold is an Army veteran of Vietnam where he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat. He is a lifetime member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Disabled American Veterans as well as a member of the VFW, American Legion, and AMVETS. Arnold and his wife Jean Marie have two sons, Michael and Anthony. Although retired from government service, Arnold presently works as a professional musician.
Leonard Rogers – Secretary/Treasurer
Leonard Rogers is the Vice President of Business Development Healthcare for Thomas Reuters, a company providing information and decision support tools to help professionals within the healthcare industry improve clinical and business performance. Prior to his current position with Thomas Reuters, he was the Medical Center Director and CEO for the San Diego VA Medical Center, a large tertiary, research and teaching hospital, affiliated with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) which includes hospital based home care, hospice, pharmacy, durable medical equipment, spinal cord injury and rehabilitation.
Rogers served in the U.S. Air Force from 1962 to 1966 and was in Bien Hoa, Vietnam from 1965 to 1966. He has received numerous awards, including the Vietnam Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal, four U.S. Senate Certificates of Merit, eight U.S. Congressional Certificates of Merit, two California Congressional Certificates of Recognition and a Letter of Recognition from the Governor of California for Outstanding Leadership and Commitment to Area Agencies on Aging and for contributions to Senior Citizens.
Gorham L. Black, III – Director
Gorham L. Black III received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in History from Howard University, graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the U.S. Army in 1963. He served two tours in Vietnam, the first from 1965 to 1966 as a Vietnamese Infantry Battalion Advisor and the second in 1971 as a District Senior Advisor. Black served as the Chairman of Emergency Services for the American Red Cross in the state of Maryland and is a member of the Central Maryland Chapter’s Board of Directors.
Black’s military service awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Air Medal Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and many others. Black went on to serve the U.S. Army in a broad range of command and staff positions in the U.S. and abroad, while also obtaining a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from the Maxwell School, Syracuse University. Black is a graduate of the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College and the National Defense University, The National War College.
Black completed his military service in 1990 retiring as Commander, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Since his retirement as a Colonel from the United States Army, Black has held a number of academic positions, including Senior Assistant to the President and Associate Vice President for Administration of Howard University, Washington D.C. and Executive Assistant to the President of Albany State University in Albany, Georgia.
Black has been named Maryland State Director of Selective Service. Maryland Governor Martin J. O’Malley nominated Black for this presidential appointment.
Michael Hartford – Director
Captain Hartford was selected for an active duty assignment as Deputy Director, Reserve Policy and Integration, Navy Medicine Headquarters, Washington, D.C., effective October 2010. He is the Senior Reserve Operational Support Officer to the Navy Surgeon General in the development of policies and procedures for Navy Reserve medical personnel and collaborates with combatant commander staffs, joint staff, Fleet Forces Command, and BUMED M3/5EPSC3 to provide reserve medical support for validated COCOM operations, exercises, and mobilizations.
Prior active duty Navy assignments include a mobilization from March 2007 to November 2009 with Navy Safe Harbor, assigned to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Director, Navy Reserve Medical Programs from October 1999 to September 2002 at Navy Medicine Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Other Navy Reserve assignments include Director for Administration, Operational Health Support Unit (OHSU), Naval Hospital, Jacksonville (NHJAX), Florida (FL) from December 2009 to September 2010, Officer-In-Charge (OIC), FL Region, Center for Naval Leadership from October 2005 to March 2007, Assistant Clinical Coordinator, OHSU, NHJAX, FL; OIC, DET H, OHSU, NHJAX, located in Saint Petersburg, FL; Director, OIC, DET C, Navy Reserve, Navy Hospital, Camp Pendleton, and Executive Officer, Training Officer and Administrative Officer for Navy Reserve, Navy Hospital, Camp Pendleton, located in Long Beach and Los Angeles, California (CA). He was commissioned in October 1986 and recalled to active duty in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm. He enlisted in 1974 and served in the Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air and Army National Guard.
His civilian and military public sector careers span over three decades. He has held senior healthcare executive leadership positions in the VA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the FL Department of Health. Prior to his selection into the VHA Associate Director Training Program in 1990 he served as Chief, Medical Administration Service at VHA facilities in Los Angeles, Loma Linda and Long Beach, CA. He served as VHA Assistant and Acting Medical Center Director, Long Beach, CA before his 1994 selection as Associate Medical Center Director, Loma Linda, CA. In 1999, while serving as Director, VA Health Administration Center, Denver, Colorado, he returned to active duty for three years. He is a former Meet Director for the Veteran’s Wheelchair Games and has served on multiple National Committees.
He is Board Certified in Healthcare Management and has attained Fellow status in the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) and the American Academy of Medical Administrators. He is Past-President, ACHE Western Florida Chapter, a member of the Veterans Advisory Committee on Rehabilitation and serves as Navy Reserve Specialty Leader, Health Care Administration, Medical Service Corps. He is a 1991 graduate of the 79th Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives and a 1992 graduate of Leadership VA. In May 2008, he attended the Navy Reserve Advanced Management Seminar.
He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Management from Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from the University of Laverne, Laverne, CA. Military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (Gold Star), Navy Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and several unit and campaign awards.
Diane Hartmann – Director
Diane Hartmann joined HHV in January 2012, bringing a wealth of experience from her 34 years at the Department of Veterans (VA). An independent consultant for program management and event planning, Diane is a highly accomplished at managing large, diverse and complex programs, and events. She has experience in operations, program development and implementation, meeting and conference planning, adaptive sports events, sponsorships programs, dedication ceremonies and presidential protocol.
As director of the National Programs and annual Special Events for VA, Diane was responsible for their overall direction and management, along with VA’s participation in national memorial and commemorative events, including the annual national celebration of Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery. Diane has developed and implemented highly successful national marketing and public affairs plans, with contacts spanning all levels of government, veterans service organizations (VSO), civic groups, private corporations and hospitality service providers.
Diane has also testified before Congress in support of VA’s National Rehabilitative Special Events. It was under her leadership that two additional annual Special Events were implemented — the National Veterans TEE Tournament and the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic. She expanded the scope and increased the number of VA’s partnerships with VSOs, civic organizations and private corporations. Diane worked closely with senior White House officials, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Paralympics Military Program staff and key congressional staff to help pass legislation for the Veterans Paralympic Military Sports Programs.
Diane holds a degree in law enforcement and criminal justice and is a certified mediator. She completed the U.S. Office of Personnel’s Federal Executive Institute and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs’ Leadership Program. She served as vice president and finance chair for seven years on the board of directors for Leadership VA Alumni Association.
The proud mother of two adult sons, Diane recently relocated to Florida, after being a life-long Washington, D.C. area resident.
