Meet The Board
Captain Thomas G. Gates, USAF (Retired)
President
Thomas G. Gates is an aviator who served two combat tours with the Air Force during the Vietnam War. An Eagle Scout and graduate of the University of South Florida, he spent a distinguished career in the FBI following active duty service.
Returning to his USF roots, he campaigned for institutional and community support for veterans programs at the university, which led to Military Times ranking USF as top in the nation in supporting student veterans.
Colonel Benjamin F Findley, USAF (Retired)
Immediate Past President
Dr. Ben Findley has lived in Florida for over 36 years and he has made significant contributions to Florida Veterans devoting over 9,000 hours over his 11 retirement years alone to advocate for them. He has served over 7.000 Veterans directly & over 10.000 indirectly, and contributed over $40,000 in cash in his civic, business, public service, & other Veteran areas.
In the CIVIC area, he has helped & advocated for Florida Veterans in the community by getting results in his roles for the health, safety, education, & support of military Veterans.
He now serves on the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame Society, INC. Board of Directors as Past President.
CPT Donn Weaver, US Army (Retired)
Vice President
CPT Donn Weaver, US Army (Retired)
Vice President
Donn A. Weaver is a U.S. Army veteran, retired Foreign Service Officer, and devoted veterans’ advocate. A Gold Star Father, he has led major initiatives across Brevard County through roles with the Brevard Veterans Council, Veterans Memorial Hospital and MOAA Cape Canaveral Chapter. He helped secure over $6 million in funding to expand the Veterans Memorial Center and create programs that support veterans, families and students.</p><p>He now serves on the Veterans Hall of Fame Society, INC. Board of Directors as Vice Chair.
Commander Dennis O. Baker, US Navy (Retired)
Treasurer
Commander Dennis O. Baker, US Navy (Retired)
Treasurer
As a Veteran’s Veteran, Commander Baker leads by example. He is a leader, collaborator, innovator,arbitrator and peacemaker. He networks with an attitude of “mutual trust, confidence, and respect” and wins just about any negotiation for the Veteran.
His creative abilities are often looked to by senior state leadership to find amicable ways to solve issues and provide results. Has the ear of senior state leadership, legislators, agencies, and communities. His success in delivery of relief to countless veterans is without peer.
Colonel Peter Tan, US Army (Retired)
Board Member
Board Certified Surgeon, Healthcare and Military Executive, Board Director and Educator, with 80+ years of combined experience leading clinical operations, enterprise healthcare organizations, Cabinet and Pentagon officials, General Officers and senior military officials, CEO’s and hospital leadership, national professional societies across military medicine, dentistry, surgery, hospital governance, academic medicine and local/state/national professional organizations.
Dee Quaranta, US Air Force (Retired) Secretary
Deloris Quarnata served in the United States Air Force from 1978 to 1998. She has served her Nation and the State of Florida honorably.
In 2011, Ms Quaranta began forming Northeast Florida Women Veterans, Inc, in response to a need in the community. She first acquired a grant from the Women’s Giving Alliance. She partnered with University of Florida and the Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition to do research in NE Florida to assess the needs of women Veterans. Project “RestorHER” was completed in 2016.
Mike Mason, US Army (Retired)
Board Member
Mr. Mason enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1970 and served as a Combat Medic in the Republic of Vietnam. He was wounded on Sept. 28th, 1971 at Fire Base Pace on the Cambodian border in a heroic action, which earned him the Bronze Star with Valor. After the military, served as Senior Vice Commander of the VFW of Rock Falls, IL, assisted Veterans in need and supported countless Veteran functions throughout Polk County, as DVOP, in Winter Haven, FL, worked to help Veterans attain employment, providing resume updates, mock interviews, and provided proper clothing.
John McGee, US Army (Retired)
Board Member
John McGee hails from Boston Massachusetts where he enlisted in the US Army in February of 1967 at 18 years old. He was sent to the Republic of Vietnam in 1968 where he saw combat in the 25th Infantry Division as a member of Company F,50th Infantry /75th Rangers, Long Range Patrol. That unit’s mission was to work in 5- and 6-man teams and be inserted deep into hostile enemy territory to locate and report the activity of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army.
Gregory Holder, US Air Force (Retired)
Legal Counsel
Colonel Gregory P. Holder has devoted his life to serving his nation, the State of Florida, and the veteran community through an extraordinary combination of military leadership, judicial service, and civic engagement. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he later earned both an MBA and a Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law, laying the foundation for a distinguished career spanning military service, the legal profession, and the judiciary.
Jeff Obos
Florida Department of Veteran's Affairs Liaison
Tina Ward
Executive Director
Past Presidents
Tom Rice, 2024