Greetings from Weatherford, Texas y’all!
If you’d told me in May of 2011 when I met up with Jim “Stoney” Stone in Wytheville for my first Run that I’d now be writing a President’s newsletter – I wouldn’t have even known there was a Board of Directors! Our Riders, our Run and our Mission have come a long way in the 15 years since then and I am truly honored to have the opportunity to serve all three in this new role. More on that in another newsletter, but for now, more changes are upon us…
Hail & Farewell
Every organization experiences turnover of leadership and ours is no different. From every Team on every Route through the RCs and the Directors, great American Veterans and Patriots dedicate large portions of their time and treasure to plan and prepare for this Mission and for the Run each year and into the future. There are too many to name here, but there are three to whom we bid farewell from the Board of Directors this month.
John “Turkey” Staub, President
John Staub departs after 6 years in service on the Board of Directors having presided as President for nearly 4 years, a span over which most would find exceedingly exhausting to the point of resignation. But John’s wholehearted dedication to the Mission and the strategic planning initiatives required to see this Run continue long into the future fueled his consistent drive to keep moving it forward. On more than one occasion, his strong leadership and pragmatic guidance for overcoming complex obstacles that threatened the continuation of the Run made the difference between moving forward and being cancelled another year. Yet he never sought accolades or awards for his efforts – for those truly dedicated to our Mission, the satisfaction of service towards a successful outcome can be its own reward. When you see John in Ontario next year, just shake his hand and say, “Thank you!” and you’ll both know what it’s for.
Alan “X-Box” Steiner
Alan Steiner came to the Board of Directors about three years ago with the assignment to assume control of RFTW Merchandise sales and procurement. Picking up the reigns of a department that was performing at less-than-optimal level, Alan applied logical engineering principles for balancing properly planned processes to create a product line available to our riders that was innovative and reflected the sentiment of the Mission. The result was new methods for merchandise tracking, new product lines, point of sale convenience and committed suppliers – all of which worked together to increase Merchandise variety and availability or our Riders. After changing over to Director of Operations last year, Alan applied the same dedicated planning and consistent processes to ensure the RFTW Planning and Preparations for Ontario and Springfield were well organized and well executed. Thank you Alan for your dedicated service to the Run and its Mission!
Ted “Boots” Kapner
Ted Kapner is well into his fifth year on the Board of Directors where his tremendous talent for Public Relations and Digital Media has crossed paths with a passion for motorcycling and the RFTW Mission to create a perfect storm of innovation in support of the RFTW Public Image. From his early work into Social Media advertising to reaching personal contacts in the Motorcycle industry to helping develop a very effective Podcast presence and an absolutely World Class Website, “Boots” has had a hand in almost every public facing presentation we currently enjoy. Working with Tai “Hitch” Harmon, the RFTW Podcast has introduced dozens of RFTW Leaders, Riders and Supporters to provide better personal insights to the heart of the Run that beats strongly in our people. His dedication to RFTW continues as he leaves the Board to take on a more direct Operational Leadership Challenge as Assistant Route Coordinator on the Central Route. Ted Kapner’s unparalleled positive contributions to developing the image and persona of this organization on the National Stage won’t end with his departure as the effects of his efforts will continue to support the strategic success of Run For The Wall well into the future! Watch for Ted in Ontario and on the Road – more great things to come from Boots!
On the flip side, we are adding one new and one returning Board member…
Branda “Baby Doll” Huddleston
Branda Huddleston is one half of a dynamic duo of dedication to RFTW and the Mission along with husband Johnny “Bravo 6”! She joins the Board of Directors as Secretary, filling the spot recently vacated by our new Chairman & Vice President, Corey “SunBear” Lederer. Branda is an accomplished rider with experience in Leadership Service to RFTW riders as well as leadership with other similarly oriented Veteran motorcycle organizations. Her heart for the Mission was sparked early in life as her Veteran family instilled in her a love of country and honorable service to our nation. Branda will be an outstanding addition to the Board and a great asset to our Run as we develop plans for progress into the future. Welcome Branda!
Kirk “Pretty Boy” Olson
Kirk Olson previously served as RFTW Public Relations Director on the Board until 2019 when he became a Road Guard Captain. His service to RFTW through that tenure brought early innovation and new capabilities that became the foundation of our current PR successes. Following his successful tour as ARC and then Central Route Coordinator on the 2025 Run, he now returns as the Director of Public Relations and Communications, bringing his dedication to the Mission and to our Riders. We welcome Kirk back to the Board with full confidence that his heart for service to the Mission will further enhance the public image and outreach of our Run.
That leaves one seat open…
We are now taking applications to fill the vacant Director of Operations role. The deadline for applications is 31 AUG 2026 with an expected fill within 2 weeks of that date. You can find full details of the application requirements as well as a description of the responsibilities and expectations for service as the Director of Ops at this link. It’s a challenging role for sure, but one which has a huge impact on very important aspects of our Run. Early applications with complete documentation will be greatly appreciated!
The Mission Rolls Forward
Speaking with our Founder, Gunny Gregory a few days ago, we talked about how the Mission has necessarily evolved over the years. The Mission of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) continues with slow and steady progress, but the important part is that it continues… and we are watching because our family still needs answers! Some have suggested we should revise our Mission statement due to some aspects seeming beyond a meaningful effort – I wholly disagree. Instead of changing how that Mission statement looks, we need to change how we look at it. There is one primary focus for all four parts of that Mission – PEOPLE! Promote healing among PEOPLE, call for an accounting of PEOPLE, honor the memory of PEOPLE, and support our PEOPLE! Every single one of our RFTW family is one of those people, or knows one of those people, or is related to one of those people, or has been one of those people but we truly care about ALL those people. It all starts with you, deep inside a heart for service and support for our amazing American Veterans and Patriots.
In just under a month, please find the time to Register early when it opens and get yourself pointed toward a great day in May as we take to heart Todd Beamer’s words challenging us to action and join in on this great Mission of Healing and Remembrance…
“Let’s roll!”
Sincerely,
Bugs
Due to circumstances beyond our control, Midway Route Photos from previous runs are no longer available. 