Chairman

Richard E. Marbes*

Green Bay, WI

Vice Chairman

Arthur H. Wilson

Cold Spring, KY

Secretary/Treasurer

David L. Tannenbaum

Tampa, FL

Director

Larry A. Polzin

Sylmar, CA

Director

Dennis R. Nixon

China Spring, TX

Director

Eugene A. Murphy

Sioux Falls, SD

Director

James E. Sursely

Apopka, FL

*One of the disability movement’s most articulate leaders, Richard E. Marbes lost his right leg in military service. The Green Bay, Wis., resident enlisted in the Air Force in 1955. As an airborne radio operator, he was assigned to the Mutual Defense Assistance Program in Germany. Little did he realize he’d be training former World War II German servicemen who already knew more about Morse Code and communications than he imagined. Next, Mr. Marbes was assigned to medical evacuation and troop carrier squadrons in France and Germany. Ironically, he himself was med-evaced back to the States following an injury resulting in amputation of his leg. In 1987, Mr. Marbes decided to devote his career to assisting fellow disabled veterans. In 1993, he was elected to serve as National Commander of the million-member Disabled American Veterans. In addition, he was appointed to the Wisconsin State Board of Veterans Affairs. His volunteer role as Chair of the DAV Charitable Service Trust continues his drive to assist fellow disabled veterans and their families.






Bridgette Shaffer
Manager, Trust and Foundation Administration
Disabled American Veterans

Bridgette Shaffer began her DAV career at the National Headquarters office in 2001, shortly after graduation from high school. A native of Kentucky, Ms. Shaffer was initially assigned as a Donor Relations Correspondent Specialist. She was promoted to the DAV executive offices in 2006, where she provided direct support to both the Comptroller and the General Counsel.

In 2010, Ms. Shaffer was promoted to the newly-created position of Legal and Regulatory Affairs Coordinator. In that capacity, reporting to the General Counsel, her duties were wide-ranging and involved a broad range of issues, including fundraising compliance, litigation management and basic legal research. She also played a major role in the creation and implementation of new procedures for managing contracts and tracking bequests. Working with the National Service Department and the General Counsel, she helped to structure DAV's expanded program of representation of veterans at the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

In 2012, Ms. Shaffer was promoted to the position of Manager of Trust and Foundation Administration. In that position, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the DAV National Service Foundation and the DAV Charitable Service Trust, two independent nonprofit organizations that have a long and close association with DAV. These organizations serve many functions and provide support for the DAV National Service Program, the DAV Transportation Network, as well as for various other worthy charitable programs for veterans around the country.