The Association is fortunate to have a group of talented, dedicated individuals serving as your officers and directors. Contact any of the officers via the Contact Us page.
Officers
Janon D. (JD) Ellis, President
Janon D. “JD” Ellis, Spaatz #661, retired after 23 years of service in the U.S. Air Force where he earned the rating of master navigator with over 4000 hours in the C-130. During his Air Force career he commanded the 728th Air Mobility Squadron at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey and served as Chief, Requirements Policy Division on the Headquarters USAF Staff. He earned the Spaatz Award as a member of the Florida Wing and continued to serve CAP after he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force with Texas, Arkansas, and Illinois Wings and served overseas as the commander of the Yokota Cadet Squadron, Japan. JD is currently serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Cadet Programs, Mid-Atlantic Region, and the National Cadet Advisory Council Senior Advisor. He is currently employed as a USAF government civilian. (Current as of 15 August 2020. Term expires in 2022)
Matthew J. Chirik, Vice President
Matthew J. Chirik, Spaatz #2135, currently serves as the Spaatz Association Liaison to Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters, Emergency Services Training Officer for the Mid-Atlantic Region, and Deputy Director of Emergency Services for North Carolina Wing. Having joined CAP in 2011, he has served in various roles including Squadron Commander and as a Staff Officer/Director at the Group, Wing, and Region levels. Additionally, he has attended and served on staff at several national activities including Hawk Mountain Ranger School, National Blue Beret, and the National Character and Leadership Symposium at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He earned the Spaatz Award as a member of Pennsylvania Wing and has completed Level IV of the senior member professional development program. He is currently a senior rated Incident Commander and active in the CAP emergency services program. Chirik’s service in the emergency services field extends beyond CAP into his professional life where he works full time as a Firefighter/EMT and Hazardous Materials Technician. (Term expires in 2023.)
Jay Sliwinski, Secretary
Jay Sliwinski, Spaatz #851. Lt Col Jay Sliwinski grew up in a CAP family that now spans three generations and over 200 years of membership. He joined at age 11 and earned his Spaatz in 1987. He has been the Minnesota Wing Spaatz Ceremony Mentor. Among his activities include 14 encampments, flight academy and the EAA Air Academy. He is one of three Spaatzen in his family. (Current as of 15 August 2018. Appointed 2017. Term expires in 2022.)
David Pattillo, Treasurer
David A. Pattillo, Spaatz #395, retired from the US Army after 20 years of service. He holds the Master Parachutist Badge with 100 military tactical jumps. He participated in Operations Urgent Fury (Grenada 1983) and Uphold Democracy (Haiti 1994). His second career was with the Department of Veterans Affairs where he retired as a senior healthcare administrator. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Healthcare Executives and is active as a Board Member in several veteran and local organizations. He holds an undergraduate degree from The Citadel and graduate degrees in Healthcare Administration from Baylor University and strategic studies from the US Army Command and General Staff College.(Current as of Nov 2019. Appointed in 2019. Term expires in 2023).
Board of Directors
The Association’s Board of Directors consists of the four elected officers plus 9 members-at-large and one alternate. The at-large seats on the board are filled via the Association’s annual elections; one-half of these at-large seats are up for election each year. At-large directors serve a two-year term. For more information, see the Association’s by-laws.
Joe Abegg, Director #1
Joe Abegg, Spaatz #399 (TSA Charter member and Life member). After earning his Spaatz Award, he became an Aerospace Engineer, and he was selected as an Astronaut (select) for an Ansari X Prize Competition team. He is an Air Force Command Pilot, a CAP Command Pilot, and a United Airlines Captain with over 29,000 flying hours logged over six continents. He was the first-ever and longest serving CAP National Director of Emergency Services where he led twenty-six National Programs and innovative National Projects to include planning a comprehensive CAP National Search and Rescue Competition. Among his many assignments, he served two tours as a CAP Region Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, he served as a Wing Director of Cadet Programs for over six years, and he is now completing a four-year tour as a CAP Wing Commander.
Col Abegg is the father of six children, and he has three beautiful grandchildren to date.
Lawrence L. Trick, Director #2
Larry Trick, Spaatz #452, is charter member of the Association. He served as the vice president of the Association from 1997 to 1998 and president from 1998 to 2000. He currently leads the effort to locate all missing Spaatz Award recipients. Larry recently retired after 35 years as U.S. Navy Civil Service employee. During his career, he was the program manager for the the X-49A Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller Advanced Technology Demonstrator and later the Chief Engineer for the Naval Aviation Center for Rotorcraft Advancement. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from Penn State University and previously commanded CAP’s Maryland Wing. (Term expires in 2022.)
Julian “Cosmo” Gluck, Director #3
Todd Mandel, Director #4
Todd Mandel, Spaatz #1161. Todd has worked in the government and non-profit sector for more than 20 years. Today he is the principal consultant for Building Mighty Communities, a consulting firm he founded which focuses on helping non-profit organizations with grant and income development as well as strategic planning and organizational issues. Todd serves on five boards of directors at present as well as an advisory committee which oversees $25 million of grantmaking each year. Todd has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol for 34 years. He currently serves as a Squadron Commander and as the Director of Cadet Programs for Wisconsin Wing.. (Appointed 2018. Term expires in 2022.)
Eric Cooter, Director #5
My secular career began as a Management Trainee with Sears Roebuck and Company leading to store management assignments. Eventually, I was promoted to the Home Office where I worked as an Associate Buyer. I joined a regional retailer as a buyer and later founded and managed my own aviation retail, pilot services and training company. I earned a Master of Divinity degree from University of the South, Sewanee, TN, where I served as Student Body President. I earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN.
I am currently the Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Oklahoma, serving as the Bishop’s Chief of Staff. I have served as Canon for Ministry Development for the Diocese of Southwest Florida, and I served the Episcopal Church as President of the Board for the Conference of Diocesan Executives (2015-2016). I have served as Rector for two different churches, as well as the Dean of the Naples Deanery, a member of the Standing Committee, a member of Diocesan Council (2010-2012), a Deputy to the 2018 General Convention, and member of the Evangelism and Church Planting Committee for the 2018 General Convention.
As a pilot, I hold the following licenses and ratings: Commercial Pilot (Multi/Single Engine, Instrument, Land, Airplane; Certified Flight Instructor (Single Engine, Instrument – Gold Seal); Ground Instructor (Advanced), and UAS Pilot certificates. I have over 35 years of experience as a pilot and nearly two decades of experience as a flight instructor.
I joined the CAP Cadet Program in 1979 and was awarded the General Carl A. Spaatz award in 1984. As Senior Member, I received the Gill Robb Wilson Award and in 2020, I was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I have served as Southeast Region Chaplain, Florida Wing Chaplain, and after a recent move to Oklahoma, I transferred to Southwest Region and now serve as Deputy Region Chaplain. I continue to actively fly missions as a Mission Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Cadet Orientation Pilot, and I serve as a Mission Pilot Check Pilot. I was also named the 2015 Florida Wing Senior Chaplain of the Year and 2015 Southeast Region Senior Chaplain of the Year. In 2020, I was awarded the Military Chaplains Association (MCA) Distinguished Chaplain Award for my service in Civil Air Patrol.
Klara Olcott, Director #6
Klara G. Olcott, Spaatz #1997, currently serves as the Emergency Services Officer and Administrative Officer for the 388th Composite Squadron. She is a Captain and Ground Branch Director on the Arizona Wing Ground Team and an active team leader on their Search & Rescue missions.
Joining CAP as a cadet in 2011, she attended 11 national cadet special activities. On the International Air Cadet Exchange, she visited Israel and the UK as an ambassador. She has since staffed National Blue Beret in the media department and Hawk Mountain Ranger School as an Expert Ranger.
Klara is a lifetime Girl Scout member and earned the Gold Award. She is a pilot and an independent contractor for Amazon, as well as a world traveler with visits to Nova Scotia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
(Current as of 7 January 2019. Elected 2018. Term expires in 2022.)
Wayne “Astro” Mowery, Director #7
Wayne “Astro” Mowery, #1721, is a U.S Air Force officer and instructor pilot in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. He joined the Civil Air Patrol in 2004 and was the 2010 Maryland Wing Cadet of the Year. He was recognized as the 2018 Nevada Wing Orientation Pilot of the Year and the 2019 Pacific Region Aircrew Member of the Year. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Maryland and is a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps and Squadron Officer School.
After graduating from Euro-Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) in 2014, Mowery has served in several active-duty assignments overseas and is currently the U.S Exchange Officer to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. Despite being more than 7,000 miles away, he is an active member of the Las Vegas Composite Squadron in Nevada Wing.
Steve Schultz, Director #8
Steve Schultz, Spaatz #904, is a former active duty Air Force officer, where he served in signals intelligence and then as a pilot, flying KC-10s and C-21s. Following active duty, Steve worked as a commercial pilot before transitioning into the education field. Steve is currently an Adjunct Professor of Philosophy and Theology. He joined CAP as a cadet in 1985 and continued to serve in CAP for 34 years, working primarily in cadet programs. He currently volunteers as a Community Emergency Response Team Leader and Amateur Radio Emergency Service team member. (Term expires in 2022.)
Beth Dumont, Director #9
Biography Pending (Term expires 2022 / Appointed Member)
Cyrus Rodriguez, Director #10
Cyrus Rodriguez, Spaatz #2350, currently serves as the Virginia Wing Public Affairs Officer. Active in Cadet Programs and Emergency Services, Cyrus is a Public Information Officer, as well as a Communications Unit Leader.
Joining CAP as a cadet in 2017, he has been part of CAC, Encampments, and NCSAs as he progressed through the cadet program, eventually culminating in earning his Spaatz award and serving as Virginia Wing Encampment Cadet Vice Commander. He then early transitioned into Senior Member status, becoming a Senior Flight Officer, and has actively served in Cadet Programs roles within his unit as well as Emergency Services on the Group level before being appointed as the Wing Public Affairs Officer.
Cyrus is part of the Air National Guard, and continues to be active in Civil Air Patrol as a senior member. (Term expires 2022 / Appointed Member)
Committee Chairs/Project Coordinators
Thomas P. Hurley, Bylaws Committee Chair
Thomas P. Hurley, Spaatz #305, chairs the Association’s Bylaws Committee, which is charged with providing guidance to the Board of Directors when requested on procedural or other matters relating to the By Laws and reviewing and proposing changes to the By Laws requested by members and the Board, and reviewing Bylaw complaints of members. The committee also monitors the Association’s election process. The Association’s founding Vice President and a former board member, Tom is president of Thomas Hurley Consulting LLC. He holds certifications as a Project Management Professional and Certified Business Manager and holds securities, mortgage and life/health licenses in the State of Connecticut. Mr. Hurley is also. Tom is a lieutenant colonel in Civil Air Patrol and is a member of the CT Minuteman Composite Squadron in New Haven, CT. Mr. Hurley is married, is a church lector, member of the American Legion and an elected member of his local school board. He holds BS, MS and MBA degrees. (Term at discretion of TSA Board of Directors.)
Klara Olcott, Grant and Scholarship Committee Chair
Members:
Stephen Austen
Richard Griffith
Elmer Roman
Steve Schultz
Tim Morton
Patricia Petruff
Larry Trick, Membership Search Coordinator
See above. (Term at discretion of the Board of Directors.)
