The Veterans Family Fund of America has grown out of a grassroots effort by ordinary Washington citizens wanting to make a difference. These five volunteers formed the steering committee.
Jane Jacobsen
Executive Director, Confluence Project
Michael C. Worthy
CEO, Bank of Clark County
Robert Friedenwald
Colonel (retired), U.S. Army
Betsy Henning
Principal, Alling Henning Associates (AHA!)
John Lee
Director, Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
Jane Jacobsen
“As a child, I was taught that the only way to live was to help other people; to do your part in giving, sharing and sacrificing. Our country is so divided, out of sync in most every way except in our unanimous support of veterans—it was natural to think about what we could possibly do to help the situation, and then try to get something done.”
Jane inspired a team of financial, governmental and business professionals to help her turn her dream into the reality of the Veterans Family Fund. Pondering what ordinary citizens could do to help those returning from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jane began thinking back to her childhood, and remembered her parents and grandparents talking about war bonds they had purchased during World War II. Perhaps something like that could work today, she thought. After testing the idea with friends, she sought the opinion of Mike Worthy at the Bank of Clark County, and the idea for the Veterans Family Fund CD took off. Jane is a longtime resident of Vancouver, Washington, where she is executive director of the Confluence Project, an art and cultural heritage project featuring internationally renowned artist Maya Lin. Previously, Jane served as the director of the George C. Marshall Programs at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, served on the board of directors for the Heritage Trust of Clark County and was program director at Shelburne Museum in Vermont. She is also a member of the Columbia River Gorge Commission. Jane earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas and did graduate work at the University of Vermont. She and her husband, Paul, have two grown sons.
Robert Friedenwald
“I support the Veterans Family Fund because it’s the right thing to do. Some veterans’ families are in dire need of assistance. Investing in the Veterans Family Fund gives each of us an opportunity to help those who have sacrificed so much for all Americans.”
One person Jane consulted early on was Bob Friedenwald, a retired U.S. Army engineer colonel. He is a Vietnam veteran who, in his 27 years in the service, had assignments at Corps of Engineers headquarters in Washington, D.C., as well as in Turkey, the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea and Germany. Bob also was district commander of the Corps’ Portland District in Oregon, responsible for recovery work associated with the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Bob subsequently spent 14 years with the Port of Portland, where he managed construction on the Willamette River and at Portland International Airport. He currently works as project manager for the Confluence Project. In 2004, Bob spent five months in Iraq with the Coalition Provisional Authority and the State Department as an advisor at the port of Umm Qasr. The son of a career Army officer, Bob received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and a master’s in civil engineering from Texas A&M University, and is a graduate of the National War College. He and his wife, Peggy, live in Vancouver and have three grown daughters and four grandchildren.
Michael C. Worthy
“I have always had the highest respect for our men and women in uniform. I am often shamed to hear the stories of the challenges they face during and after their service to our country. The Veterans Family Fund is a great way to give every American a chance to really support our troops—as most people profess to.”
Mike is founding CEO of the Bank of Clark County, which has been named six times by Washington CEO Magazine as one of the best places to work in Washington. When Jane Jacobsen approached him with her idea about the possibility of a financial instrument that could be dedicated to raising money for veterans in Washington State, he quickly signed on to make it happen. Thanks to his financial industry ties in the Pacific Northwest, Mike has played a key role in generating support among a broad group of banks and credit unions as well as government officials. Mike is a director of the Washington Bankers Association and member of the Community Bankers of Washington, Oregon Bankers Association and Community Bankers of America. He has served on the boards of the chambers of commerce in Vancouver, Tacoma, Greater Seattle and the University District in Seattle, as well as the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from Washington State University and graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. Mike is a member of the WSU Board of Regents and recipient of the school's Alumni Achievement Award. Though not a veteran, he has been recognized by the United States Air Force, the U.S. Army, the American Legion and the Military Order of the World Wars for his civilian engagement as an advocate for military personnel. He lives in Vancouver with his wife, Susan, and two children.
Betsy Henning
“Jane’s excitement was contagious. As I talked with her and others about the idea, I recognized their passion and commitment, and my own interest grew.”
Betsy is a principal of Alling Henning Associates (AHA!), a marketing communications agency in Vancouver, Washington. She grew up in Colorado Springs, where her father and mother instilled a strong sense of commitment to community and country. Betsy initially was skeptical when her friend Jane Jacobsen began talking about finding some way to share the sacrifice being made by men and women serving in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Betsy was concerned that the public, so politically divided, might not be receptive to such an idea. As she learned more, however, she realized that many Americans were looking for just such an opportunity to contribute to veterans in need, and that a mission-driven organization like the Veterans Family Fund of America offered a way to help. Along with a growing roster of business people, government officials and several members of AHA!’s staff, Betsy committed herself to the project, with AHA! helping to create the materials used to tell the financial community and the public about the Veterans Family Fund. Betsy, who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University, lives in Vancouver with her husband, Tom, and two daughters.
John E. Lee
“I came home from war to a country that wanted to forget, so I know how important it is for us to stop and say thank you to each and every veteran and their families. What is exciting to me is that the Veterans Family Fund gives us all a way to say thanks and make a difference.”
John, a Vietnam War veteran and retired command sergeant major of the U.S. Army, is director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. He is responsible for advocacy and outreach for the state’s more than 670,000 veterans and their families, as well as three veterans homes. Under his direction, the agency has become known for innovative programs that raise money to help veterans, including license plates that recognize different branches of the armed forces. When he learned of the Veterans Family Fund of America, John offered one of those programs—the Veterans Innovations Program—to distribute money to veterans in need. A native of West Virginia, John spent 21 years with the U.S. Army. After serving in Vietnam, South Carolina and Berlin, he completed his service at Fort Lewis, Washington, in 1990. He joined WDVA as an administrative assistant and rose to director in 2005. John holds a master’s degree in health care administration from Chapman University and a bachelor’s in psychology from St. Martins College. He has served on the Army Chief of Staff Retiree Council, co-chairs the Fort Lewis Retiree Council and is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled Veterans of American and the Association of the United States Army. John and his wife, Tammy, reside in Olympia. They have two adult sons and four grandchildren.