Galleries

Steven M. Budar

2007-Present

Gene M. Seibert

2005-2006

Commodore Gene M. Seibert was elected National Commodore on 3 September 2004 and served as National Commodore from November 1, 2004 until 31 October 2006.

Likewise, he served as the Chairman and CEO of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association, Inc. from 1 November 2004 through 31 October 2006.  He served on the Board of Directors of the Coast Guard Foundation and on the Board of Directors for the Association for Rescue at Sea (AFRAS) during this same period.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Boat US and the United Safe Boating Institute.

Commodore Seibert was the first Auxiliarist appointed to the Coast Guard's Leadership Council by Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant, United States Coast Guard and continues to serve in this position.

Commodore Seibert graduated from Thomas More College in Kentucky, in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.  He also holds an MBA (1976) in Procurement and Contracts from George Washington University, Washington, DC, and 2 Master of Science (1994 & 1997) degrees, in Government Contracting and International Contracting, respectively, also from George Washington University.  He is a registered member of the National Contract Management Association.

The Commodore retired from Lucent Technologies after 34 years of service.  While employed by Lucent Technologies, he held the senior management position of Area Vice President, International, Government and Domestic Contract Management.  He was responsible for the management of Contract Management, Negotiations and Administration from opportunity identification through contract signing and contract closeout.  He managed an organization of professional sales personnel, program managers and contract specialists.

Other key positions held with Lucent Technologies included: Director, Merger and Acquisitions and Director, Sales Realization and Technical Consulting.

Since joining the US Coast Guard Auxiliary in 1984, Seibert has served in all elected positions, as well as in numerous staff positions within each level of the Auxiliary.  He is an AUXOP Member, holds qualifications as Coxswain, Air Crew, Vessel Examiner, Instructor, Marine Dealer Visitor, and is a Qualification Examiner.  He is active in operations, public education, member training and vessel examinations and served as the Flight Safety Advisor for Fifth District (SR).  Commodore Seibert and his wife, Maria, are members of Flotilla 12-02, Fifth District, Southern Region.

Commodore Seibert has received many awards and commendations, including the Distinguished Service Medal (2), Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Award (3), Life Membership, Commendation Medal, Transportation 9/11 Medal, Achievement Medal, Commandant Letter of Commendation, Coast Guard Unit Commendation, Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation (OPS), Sustained Auxiliary Service Award, Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation (OP, 2), Coast Guard Special Operations Ribbon, Coast Guard Group Action Award, and Flotilla Auxiliarist of the Year.

A native of Kentucky, Seibert currently resides in Virginia with his wife Maria.  They have 4 children: 3 daughters and 1 son, and 3 grandchildren.

[June 2008]

E.W. Edgerton

2003-2004

Viggo C. Bartelsen

2001-2002

Everette L. Tucker, Jr.

1997-2000

Peter W. Melera

1995-1996

Peter W. Melera was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on February 19, 1942.  He was raised in Sharon Springs, New York, where he graduated from high school in 1960 and still owns a home.  He attended the Pennsylvania Military College in Chester; The State University of New York at Cobleskill; and the University of Georgia, in Athens, where he obtained the Ph.D. in 1969.  Melera has held faculty positions at the Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research in New York City; the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland; and is now Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Research at the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine in Camden, New Jersey, where he is also the Deputy Director for Basic Science at the Cancer Research Institute of Cooper University Hospital.

Dr. Melera joined Flotilla 62, of the [former 3NR] 1SR, Rye, New York, on July 18, 1974.  During the ensuing 21 years, he served in appointed positions at the Flotilla, Division, and District levels and in elected positions at all levels, including serving on the National EXCOMM as NARCO-East and NAVCO from 1992-94.  He earned the AUXOP device in 1983 and became certified as an Auxiliary Coxswain in 1985 and a Boat Crew Qualification Examiner in 1987.  At NACON 1994, he was elected to the position of NACO for 1995-96.

The years from 1993 to 1997 saw great changes in the Coast Guard, as required by the Congressional mandate to downsize and streamline.  Best business practices were adopted: Total Quality Management (TQM), as formulated by the use of Quality Action Teams (QATs), was implemented service-wide and that by necessity included the Auxiliary.  This provided an opportunity for COMO Melera to propose to the National Board an extensive reorganization of the NAEXCOM and the National Staff.  Upon approval by the Board and the Commandant, a Directorate style of management, similar to that adopted by the Coast Guard was activated on February 29, 1996, to promote better operational alignment with the parent service.  During his term COMO Melera oversaw the dismantling of the Area Conferences and stand up of N-TRAIN and the National Area Planning Meetings to enhance training and communication at all levels.

On June 27, 1995, Melera, in conjunction with the CHDIRAUX, CAPT. A. A. Sarra, promulgated the Auxiliary Business Description and Direction (ABD&D) that provided guidance for Auxiliarists to undertake Coast Guard missions beyond those historically associated with recreational boating safety, a trend that had been ongoing for a decade.  As a consequence of the ABD&D, the Goal Attainment Program (GAP) was terminated, thus freeing Auxiliarists to carry out missions they wanted to do, as opposed to being tasked to carry out more traditional Cornerstone missions in order to receive rewards.  Thus so-called ?GAP Ribbons? became a thing of the past.  Streamlining the Coast Guard also claimed the Second Coast Guard District and due to its closure in 1996, COMO Melera oversaw the merger of the Auxiliary Central and Eastern Areas into the Atlantic Area.  In addition on February 15, 1996, he initiated a monthly, sometimes biweekly, Memorandum for the Commandant on Auxiliary Affairs.  This report was sent to all Flags and S[enior] E[xecutive] S[ervice] members in an effort to keep the Auxiliary "Front and Center" with the Coast Guard leadership.  The report was also distributed to the National Board and Staff to maintain awareness of Auxiliary activities across the organization.

Perhaps COMO Melera's most important contribution to the organization was his testimony on April 25, 1996, to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, which helped to assure passage of the "Auxiliary Act" into law.  This piece of legislation redefined the Auxiliary and provided authorization for the Commandant to utilize Auxiliarists to ". . . .assist, the Coast Guard. . .in performing any. . .function, power, duty, role or mission or operation authorized by law," and, most importantly, it provided the legal protection for them to do so.  The Act had been in preparation for several years and had first been submitted during COMO Lanz's tour, but it had not moved beyond Committee review.  However as a direct result of the persistence of the Commandant, Adm. Robert E. Kramek, and his recognition of the importance of the legislation to the Auxiliary, the Act was packaged as part of the 1997 Coast Guard Budget, and through the efforts of his legal and congressional staffs and in close collaboration with the Chief of the Auxiliary Department of Legal Affairs, Como Joseph Gordon, the Act was finally signed into law on October 19, 1996.  This was indeed a watershed event for the Auxiliary and laid the legal groundwork for the truly multi-mission organization it is today and further enfranchised it as a member of "Team Coast Guard".

For his efforts during a period of great change for the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and for his strong support of the concept of "Team Coast Guard," COMO Melera was presented with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Distinguished Service Award by Admiral Kramek at NACON96.

Presently Dr. Melera continues his service to the Coast Guard as an Auxiliarist, having been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut in 1996.  Since 2004, he has chaired its Admissions Committee.  He is now the senior member of the Board in terms of longevity.  In the past he has also been a member of two Deans Search Committees.  Says Melera, "The Academy is a wonderful institution and I have been privileged to serve as a Trustee and to contribute my academic expertise to help its administration, faculty, and staff achieve their mission."

Dr. Melera is married to the former Barbara A. Plantholt of Baltimore, Maryland, with whom he owns the D. Landreth Seed Company.  Founded in 1784, it is the oldest seed house in America and the fourth oldest corporation in U.S. history.  Together they have four children: three boys and one daughter, and three grandchildren.

[June 2008]

Joseph J. Lanz, Jr.

1993-1994

Joseph J. Lanz was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 11, 1929, where he has been a life long resident.  In 1951, he graduated from Allegheny Technical Institute and eventually went into business for himself as the owner of an optical company.  Lanz enrolled in the Auxiliary in 1975, having joined as a result of taking a PE class.  Over the years he was elected to offices at all levels of the organization.

During his tour as NACO from 1993 to 1994, Lanz was responsible, along with his Board, for initiation and partial development of the landmark legislation, Coast Guard Auxiliary Act of 1996, that was signed into law on 19 October 1996, after eighteen months of effort by the Auxiliary and Coast Guard and Congressional negotiations.

The national board was also responsible for changing the antiquated Auxiliary penalty indicia mail system to the 'Official Mail' system currently used today.  In1993, under Lanz's leadership, the Auxiliary began the Wal Mart initiative through which many stores in the chain cooperated with local flotillas, allowing use of their facilities for the promotion of boating safety.  During Lanz's term, the Board developed and planned N-Train, the yearly training conference that replaced the three Area Conferences as of 1995.  Lanz also promoted a greater awareness of the Auxiliary and its programs among the active duty and reserve Coast Guard and its leadership.

Commodore Lanz was the first NACO to be made a voting member of the CG Flag Corps, was awarded the Auxiliary Commendation Medal in 1988 and 2006 and the Department of Transportation Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award by Commandant Robert E. Kramek in 1994.  Lanz currently serves as the Auxiliary's National Chairman of the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance program.

Commodore Lanz is a Korean War era veteran, during which time he served as an Army Signal Corps instructor at Fort Monmouth in New Jersey and was deployed overseas to Paris, France.  In Pittsburgh he was also active in his church and the Federal Credit Union.  Lanz shares retirement with his wife of fifty-six years Joan Strobel Lanz, and is the proud father of four daughters and grandfather of eight.

[June 2008]

Stanley Y. Kennedy

1991-1992

Deceased

Stanley Y. Kennedy, Jr., a retired career army officer and decorated World War II veteran, was elected national commodore in 1991.  Kennedy first joined the Auxiliary in 1974 as a charter member of the Kent Island, Maryland flotilla and became one of the first coxswains in the Fifth CG District (NR), earning the AUXOP device in 1980.  He was also an active vessel examiner and instructor.  He was first elected flotilla commander in 1977 and rose through the ranks of elected office.  He was awarded the Department of Transportation Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award in recognition for his two outstanding years as national commodore.

Kennedy went on to serve as a member of the National Safe Boating Council.  During his professional career Kennedy was known as a strong and empathetic leader and tremendous problem solver.  While en route to an NSBC meeting he suffered a heart attack and died on January 7, 1995.

Kennedy was born on November 26, 1920 to career officer Army Captain and Mrs. William Y. Kennedy in Rockford, Illinois.  He was commissioned in the U. S. Army as a second lieutenant in 1943 and served in the European Theater, earning the Combat Infantry Badge and two Bronze Stars for valor.  While serving with occupation forces he met his future wife Margarethe Fuhrer with whom he had two daughters.  Kennedy continued his army career in various command and staff positions in the armored branch.  He retired as a colonel in 1968, after serving as the executive officer for the assistant secretary of the army for research and development.  Six years later, he switched from army green to Bender Blues with his 45-foot boat in tow.

Kennedy was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery on January 17, 1995.  The honorary pall bearers were led by Coast Guard Cmdt. Robert E. Kramek.  [Navigator, Spring 1995, p. 4.]