Photo of our Color Guard front and center at our National Convention
OFFICERS
Humphrey Vernon Dr./ President / Mauk, Ga. 31058 mr_president@nabv.orgIngram Douglas / First VP/ Tallahassee, Fl. 32312 dingram59@comcast.netStinson Roy / 2nd VP / Avondale, Az. 85323 roystin@hotmail.comRupert Jack / Secretary / Kansas City, Mo. 64114 sonofasailor5965@gmail.comSayer Dwight / Treasurer / Kissimmee, FL. 34744 treasurer@nabv.orgSheehan Father John / National Chaplain / N.Y. JohnRSheehan13@gmail.comErickson Mark / Board Member / Minneapolis, MN. 55419 merickson@blindinc.orgHester Nancy / Board Member / Winter Haven, FL. 33881 pg58segd@gmail.comJonas Jim/Gustave / Board Member / Rochester, NY 14609 gjonas817@gmail.comLoos Brad / Board Member / Lincoln, NE. 65806 beloos@neb.rr.com
Rupert Jack / Board Member / Lake Crystal Minnesota
Photo of our Great US Flag flying in the countryside , trees and blue sky behind
Below are photos of all the officers just above their BIO.
NABV President Vernon F. Humphrey, Phd
US Army Master Sergeant Retired. I have Retinitis Pigmentosa a degenerative eye disease. Currently I have less than a 5 degree visual field. I have been married for 36 years and have 3 children and 6 grandchildren. I spent 20 years in the Army repairing medical equipment and teaching medical equipment repair. After retirement I completed a Bachelors, Masters and PhD in Communication studies, additionally, I have completed 45 hours in a Masters level counseling program. Currently I teach college part time. I hope to find a way to grow our little band of sisters and brothers and raise the voice of Veterans with visual impairments.
NABV First Vice President Doug Ingram
U.S. Navy 1977-1981, Board member - Tallahassee, Florida Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. Retired Computer Engineer, State of Florida, Currently self-employed in commercial and residential property maintenance, Advocate for Legislation impacting the Blind
NABV Second Vice President Roy Stinson
W. Roy Stinson Born- 19 Feb 1951, Memphis TennesseeGraduated high school 1969 and upon graduation attended San Jose State University and played football until Sidelined with a career ending knee injury. Join the Marine Corps in 1972 it was meritoriously promoted several times while on recruiting duty. Attained the rank of Gunnery Sergeant and medically discharged due to eye disease which rendered me legally blind in 1982.Education- AA General education, BS Hotel/ restaurant management, Ashland University Ashland, Ohio 1997.
NABV National Treasurer Dwight Sayer
Past President NABV Prior to losing the last bits of his vision, worked as the NationalTraffic and Logistics Manager at Aftermarket Technology Corp. Created and led the transportation systems of this worldwide automotive parts supplier, with annual sales of $760 million. Proudly served and was later honorably/medically discharged from the Air Force in 1969 due to blindness, admits initially losing his sight was traumatic. The New York native received rehabilitation services in Kentucky, Alabama, Florida and finally at Lighthouse Central Florida. A strong advocate for the blind community, Serves as the immediate past President and National Treasurer of the National Association of Blind Veterans, a division of the National Federation of the Blind; Past First Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida; Past President of the Greater Orlando Chapter of the NFB of Florida; past state registrar for NFB Newsline-reg; Past President of the Ocoee Lions Club; life member of the Alumni Association of the Veterans Administration Southeastern Blind
NABV National Chaplain Father John R. Sheehan S.J.
Father John has returned as National Chaplain for the NABV, having finished his three-year assignment as Pastor of the English language parish in Amman, Jordan. He was confined for seven months in the Bronx, because of the COVID virus, but is now the University Chaplain at Saint Francis University in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In the past Father John has been chaplain for a number of organizations both nationally and in the New York region. He is again National Chaplain for the Catholic War Veterans and serves as a member of the Global Council of the Young Global Leadership Foundation, an UN-affiliated non-profit with the goal of developing the next generation of leaders around the world. He is also the Honorary Chaplain of the Former Crew Members group at the USS Intrepid.
Father continues to sing, and had two concerts when he was in Amman. With the current restrictions on groups gathering, he does not know when his next concert will be, but he continues to sing every day and looks forward to being able to perform. He is proud to have been asked to return to NABV and looks forward to the day when we will all be able to meet in person. Until then, all the comrades are in his prayers each and every day.
NABV Secretary Dave Hutchens
I was born on 11-29-59 to Petty Officer 1st Class Clifton J Hutchins who was stationed at the Brunswick Naval Air Station in Brunswick, Maine. In October of 1961 my dad was transferred to the San Diego Navy ship yard and base, we lived in Chulavista, CA. I started school there when my dad retired in 1965 we moved back to Maine. I wasn't old enough to go to first grade because my birthday came late in the year I started school over stayed back a year because of lots of sickness in 2nd grade, graduated in 1979, I became legally blind in 1971 from a cataract surgery where the retina was scarred, after graduating from high school I went to what was then called Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind in Little Rock for blindness adjustment, such as it was, I took vending stand training for a job that didn't really exist in Maine, there to this day isn't much in the way of jobs, there are lots of jobs in Maine, but not for the blind. In 1981 I moved to Kansas City worked at what was known as the Kansas City Assoc for the Blind, now called Alphapointe, I worked for IRS for 10 years. I have done lots of different jobs, restaurant food prep jobs, telemarketing fund raising for the police and fire and the Salvation Army during Christmas ringing the bells for the red kettle campaign which seems to be the most satisfying and rewarding, it is only during the holiday season, but it helps out at the end of the year. I like doing a lot of you tube with the computer and collecting diecast model cars, was president of the CARS Division of the NFB.
NABV Board Member Nancy Hester
Born and raised in Michigan. Enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in the fall of 66. Basictraining at Ft McClellan in Alabama, Medics training FT Sam Houston Texas, A year at Valley Forge Army Hospital in Pennsylvania. Final station was Fitzsimmons Army Hospital Denver. At Denver I worked with the returning soldiers from Viet Nam. This is what changed my path in the future. Honorable discharge in 1969 Married a military man and spent the next two years at Ft. Knox in Kentucky. Spent years in Kansas working in Med field and then back to Michigan for 7 years continuing to work in cardiac field. Retired and moved to Florida and started raising Guide dogs for Southeastern Guide dogs. Have raised 15 pups and now doing a breeder. One of my pups was matched with Gene Huggins past 2nd pres. Of NABV. Gene got me involved with the NABV and love doing and helping. I am also an active member of Lions clubs who help those with vision problems. I know this is not as exciting as some but it is my life.
NABV Board Member Mark Erickson
Hello, becoming a proficient cane traveler is an empowering skill to master in order to succeed as an independent blind person. Whatever your situation is, cane travel is completely possible, and essential for attending school, being part of the work force, and independent living.
I am a lifelong resident of Minnesota, born and raised in Cook, Minnesota. I am a veteran of the Armed forces, serving in the Marine Corps. Upon my release from duty, I embarked on a career as a skilled laborer, as an Auto body technician. I have lived and worked in Minneapolis all of my adult life. I have significant ties to the American Indian community in the Twin Cities and the region, serving on the Board of Directors at the Minneapolis American Indian Center for the last 18 years. I volunteer in the community as a cultural coordinator for family drum and dance activities. I continue to participate as a traditional singer at community dances in the city and region.
I Graduated from BLIND, Inc. in 2009. I received my Cane Travel Certification from the State of Minnesota in 2015. I have been employed at the center since 2014 as the Residential Coordinator and cane travel instructor. In March of 2016, I became a full-time Cane Travel Instructor for BLIND, Inc. In March of 2018, I received my National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC).
NABV Board member Brad Loos
Bradley David Loos, born October 17, 1954 in Lincoln, Nebraska to Larry and Esther Loos. I have a younger brother, Kirk Douglas, February 1956; and two younger sisters, Lannelle Rae, May 1958 and Lori Ann, August 1961. I have an older half-brother, Larry, same dad different mom. My parents divorced when I was very young. Both remarried. I graduated from Lincoln High School in 1973 and went into the Navy that same year. I spent the winter of 1973 at Great Lakes Naval Base doing first basic training and then a Gunner’s Mate A School. I went to the USS Manley DD 940, home ported out of Athens, Greece, on May 1, 1974. I served in the Mediterranean area until August of 1975, when we left there for the United States, arriving in Philadelphia in September, 1975. We were home ported out of Philadelphia until December, 1976. Then we shifted our home port to Jacksonville, FL. In January of 1977, we left Jacksonville and were in the territories (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Puerto Rico), as well as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. While operating out of Guantanamo Bay doing gunnery exercises on March 16, 1977, there was a problem in the gun turret. As we were trying to fix it, a round in the gun turret exploded. This set me on fire, gave me shrapnel wounds, and blinded me. Shrapnel penetrated my forehead, resulting in my having a plastic forehead now. Lt. JG Walter Wilson was also blinded in the incident. When a second round went off, he and the other two men originally with me in the gun turret were out, so I was the only one in there for the second explosion. Because of burns to my throat, a Navy corpsman performed an emergency tracheotomy so I could breathe through my neck. Ultimately, I got spinal meningitis, pneumonia, a collapsed lung, hepatitis, and a burst blood vessel in my head. After I survived and recovered, I married my first wife, MaryJo, in 1981. Our daughter, Jennifer, was born dead and MaryJo died later that year. Lupus killed them both. I married my second wife, Sheila, in 1992 and divorced in 2000. Kyra, Ben and Emma came from that marriage. I married my current wife, Barbara, in December of 2003. Barbara’s first husband, Jim, died of a sudden heart attack in June of 1989. She brought Garth, Marsha and John into our marriage. Sadly, John died in May of 2017. We have nine grandkids. My wife and I are both cancer survivors who today are recovered, healthy, and happily married. We participate in the National Federation of the Blind, our church, family events and community activities.
NABV Board Member Jim Jonas
US Marine Corps 2002-2007, served in Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar doing Ground Communications, Convoy Security, and whatever else the Marines needed. I am a Board Member of NABV, President of the New York Parents of Blind Children, Board Member of the NFB of New York State, and Board Member of the Rochester Chapter of the NFB of New York State. I currently live in Rochester, NY with my wife and two children (all of whom have Leber's Congenital Amaurosis). I currently am employed by L3Harris Communications as a Software Engineer, which allows me to still serve the men and women who sacrifice for our nation.