CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Steve Melians, US Army First Sergeant (ret)

Steve Melians is currently the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Elk Institute. He retired as a First Sergeant in the Army after a distinguished 25 year career. He served in 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis McCord (JBLM), WA, and deployed with them for Operation Just Cause. After leaving the Ranger Regiment he served as a Drill Sergeant for the Infantry Training Brigade, as a platoon sergeant in the Southern European Task Force (SETAF) in Vicenza, Italy, a Ranger Instructor in the Florida Phase of the US Army’s Ranger School, and served on their Dive Team Eglin Air Force Base, FL, as the Protocol Noncommissioned Officer In Charge for the Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Red Cloud, Korea, as a First Sergeant for 1st Battalion 23rd Infantry (Stryker), JBLM, WA, where he deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom, as the Deputy Commandant for the I Corp NCO Academy, JBLM, and as a First Sergeant for 1st Battalion 17th Infantry (Stryker), JBLM, where he deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

He is currently a full-time student at Saint Leo University, finishing his BA in Business Management and has been selected to attend their MBA program in Project Management starting in May of 2016. He is also a paid consultant and he speaks in the Tampa Bay Area to city, state, and private employees on behalf of insurance companies about ways to improve and manage their lives through better health, fitness, diet, nutrition, and coping with life’s issues and stress.

BOARD MEMBER
Major Raymond Sterling, US Army (ret)

Raymond Sterling was born in Port Limon, Costa Rica to his beloved mother, Rita Sterling. He was raised in Passaic, NJ and graduated from Passaic High School in 1986. He entered the United States Army in December of 1986 and attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC and Advanced Initial Entry Training at Fort Sam Houston, TX.

His assignments include the 142nd Medical Battalion (Treatment Platoon Medic) on Fort Clayton, Republic of Panama, 82nd Airborne Div (Company Senior Medic), 6th Ranger Training Battalion (Ranger Instructor), 1st Ranger Battalion (Battalion Senior Medic), 3rd Ranger Battalion (Battalion Physician Assistant), HQ, 75th Ranger Regiment (Senior Physician Assistant), and the Asymmetric Warfare Group (Group Medical Officer) all over 24 years of Honorable service to his country.

Following Retirement from the Army, Ray worked as a government contractor for the Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) program providing guidance to Active and Reserve Medical providers on real time battlefield casualty surveillance and proper documentation of care using the Electronic Healthcare system during both pre-deployment training exercises and during their deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Ray currently manages a clinic for the government in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Military education includes the Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic NonCommissioned Officers Course, Advanced Non-Commissioned Officers Course, AMEDD Officer Basic Course, AMEDD Officer Advance Course, Interservice Physician Assistant Course, Ranger School, Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, Dive Medical Technicians Course, Army Flight Surgeons Course, Emergency Medicine Basic Course, Combat Casualty Care Course (C4), Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualty Care Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, and the Instructor Training Course.

His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal with V device for Valor, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Army Commendation Medal (8th Award), Army Achievement Medal (4th Award), Valorous Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal (4th Award), National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, South West Asia Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with Arrowhead, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3rd Award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd Award), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia),the coveted Ranger Tab, Combat Medical Badge (2nd Award), Expert Field Medical Badge, Flight Surgeon Wings, Master Parachutist Combat Badge with Bronze service star, Driver and Mechanic Badge, and the Army Staff Badge.

His deployments include Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Unified Response.

MAJ Sterling is married to the former Joycelynn Roberson and they have four kids, Desiree, Jasmine, Raymond Jr, and Trinity.

BOARD MEMBER
Major General Eldon A. Bargewell (ret)

On 1 Jan 2007 MG Bargewell retired after serving 39 plus years in the US Army with over 29 years in Special Operations.

MG Bargewell was born in Tacoma, Washington. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967 and completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1968. MG Bargewell has served in the following Special Forces and Special Operations units: The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th Special Forces Groups, Co B (Ranger) 751 INF (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) Company, 2nd Bn (Ranger) 75th INF, 5th SFG/MACV SOG CCN, 1st SFOD-D, Special Operations Command-Europe, Joint Special Operations Command and US Special Operations Command.

In September 1968, he was assigned to Reconnaissance Company, Command and Control North, Studies, Observation, and Augmentation (MACV), Vietnam. During his two tours in SOG as a Non-Commissioned Officer Team Leader, Bargewell conducted over 25 recon, direct action and team recovery missions into Laos and N. Viet Nam. Shortly after returning from Vietnam in 1972, MG Bargewell attended Infantry Officer Candidate School. MG Bargewell was the Leadership Honor Graduate of OCS Class 3-73 and was commissioned in the Infantry in April 1973. His first assignment was as a Patrol Platoon Leader in Co B (RGR) 75th Infantry LRRP at Ft. Lewis. Co B’s wartime mission was to provide reconnaissance teams in support of 7th Corps in the Fulda Gap area, Germany. MG Bargewell was then assigned as the first officer selected for duty in Co B 2nd Bn (Ranger) 75th Infantry and was the acting Company Cdr for several months followed by duty as a Rifle Platoon Ldr and Executive Officer. Upon promotion to Captain he was assigned to the 9th Infantry Division, where he served as S-3 Air and Rifle Company Commander in 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry, and as an Aide-de-Camp for the ADC (M) 9th ID.

Following a brief assignment as Infantry Branch representative at Ft. Benning, MG Bargewell was selected for assignment to 1st SFODDELTA in 1981 where his assignments included Operations Officer, Troop and Squadron Commander (twice), Deputy Commander, and finally, Commander. From 1993 to 1996 MG Bargewell was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command as the Director of Operations J-3. Upon selection to Brigadier General in 1998 he was assigned as the Commanding General, Special Operations Command-European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. During this assignment, MG Bargewell’s command was responsible to provide trained and equipped Army, Navy and Air Force Special Operations units for employment in Europe and Africa. The Command’s primary focus during this period was in Bosnia and Kosovo. During Operation ALLIED FORCE in the Balkans, Bargewell was the Commander of JSOTF Noble Anvil tasked with providing Combat Search and Rescue Forces during the conflict in Serbia. His JSOTF was successful In rescuing two USAF pilots shot down and the conduct of several other special operations. From 2000 to 2001, he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, Stabilization Force Headquarters (SFOR), Sarajevo, Bosnia.

From 2001 to 2003, MG Bargewell was the Director of the Center for Special Operations, Plans, and Policy, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida. From 2003 to 2005, MG Bargewell was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at Allied Joint Force Command (NATO) - Brunssum, Netherlands. During this NATO assignment he was also the Commanding General for the NATO RESPONSE FORCE and the US Miiitary Senior Representative to The Netherlands. MG Bargewell’s final assignment on Active Duty was as the Director of Strategic Operations at Headquarters Multi-National Force-Iraq in Baghdad. He has commanded Special Operations units from Team to Special Operations Command level in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, El Salvador, Operations JUST CAUSE (Panama), DESERT STORM (Iraq), JOINT ENDEAVOR and Allied Force (Bosnia/Kosovo). MG Bargewell had staff assignments in OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM (Afghanistan), IRAQI FREEDOM (Iraq) and UPHOLD DEMOCRACY (Haiti), all as a Director of Operations.

MG Bargewell is a graduate of the Airborne Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, 5th SFG Recondo School, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Ranger School, 61 Army Sniper School, Jumpmaster Course, SF Military Free Fall (HALO) Course, Special Mission Unit Operator Training Course, Marine Amphibious Staff Planners Course, Command and General Staff College, Armed Forces Staff College, Army War College and the General Officers Capstone Course. MG Bargewell has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Resource Management from Troy State University.

MG Bargewell’s military decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior ·servics Medal (5), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal for Valor (3), Bronze Star Medal for Seivrce (4), Purple Heart (4), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal for Valor, Army Commendation Medal for Service, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (2), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal w/Bronze Arrowhead, Vietnam Service Medal (7), Southwest Asia Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO Medal (3), NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, GWOT Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritorious Unit Citation (2), Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, French Service Medal (Ex-Yugoslavia), Combat Infantry Badge, Master Parachutists Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Military Free Fall Badge, Vietnamese HALO Badge, Vietnamese, German, and Thai Parachute Badges. MG Bargewell is also the recipient of the “Colonel Aaron Bank” award.

MG Bargewell is married to the former Marian Britt of Eufaula, Alabama, and has five children, with two sons serving in the US Army

BOARD MEMBER
Sergeant Major Greg “Mo” Mulligan (ret)

Greg “Mo” Mulligan was the President of Triple Canopy and was responsible for directing Triple Canopy’s global operations and positioning the company for growth. When he was the Chief Operating Officer, Mo oversaw Triple Canopy’s business development, operations, human resources, legal, and finance departments. He previously served as Triple Canopy’s Senior Vice President of Operations and Human Resources.

A U.S. Army veteran with 24 years of service, Mo spent 19 years assigned to the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force), where he acquired an exceptional level of expertise across the entire spectrum of special operation missions. While serving in the Delta Force, Mo served as a Troop Sergeant Major, Unit Operations Sergeant Major and Selection and Training Sergeant Major. He was awarded a Legion of Merit and Purple Heart for his service.

Following his retirement, Mo continued to serve in a wide variety of public and private sector administrative and managerial positions requiring creative, goal-oriented leadership. His varied responsibilities spanned from training the security detail for the President of Afghanistan, managing force protection and physical security programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, facilitating economic development as the Executive Director of the Schoolcraft County Economic Development Corporation, to municipal public service as the Mayor Pro-Tem for the City of Manistique, Michigan.

Mo earned a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University. He also graduated from Methodist College with a bachelor’s degree in political science and an associate’s degree in business administration.

BOARD MEMBER
Captain Dawn Paul, U.S. Army

BOARD MEMBER
Cathy Slayton

Cathy Slayton serves as an ICS Solution Architect for Infor (www.infor.com) consulting services. She is involved in all pre-sales consulting opportunities within the public sector and healthcare industries.

Cathy has over 15 years of technology consulting experience in diversified environments and industries with both the public and private sector. She is a hands-on leader who delivers superior customer service and operational efficiency by effectively leveraging people, process, and technology. She is considered a trusted advisor with a proven ability to quickly identify key issues, develop strategies and translate the business needs into technical solutions for her customers. She has worked on and managed projects in state and local government, higher education, K-12, financial services, retail, insurance, energy and utility, and hospitality industries.

Prior to joining Infor, Cathy served as a Project Manager in Gartner’s Security & Risk Management Practice. During her tenure, she completed a multiple of engagements as the project manager and also as the subject matter expert in areas such as: Organizational Change Management, Security Awareness, IT Governance, Identity & Access Management, Strategic Goal Alignment, IT Skills Assessment, and Security Assessments.

Cathy is experienced in PMBOK Project Management methodology and applies these common sense project management principles to establish and maintain collaborative efforts, deliver strategic business objectives, and fulfill the customers’ needs. Her affiliations include the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Business Continuity Institute (BCI), the International Project Management Association (IPMA), the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management (ASAPM), and the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP).

Cathy is a proud alumnus of Florida State University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Cum Laude. She is a native Floridian and resides in Tallahassee, Florida.