|
Since our founding, generation after generation of Paralyzed Veterans of America's leaders have worked to improve the quality of life for veterans and all people living with spinal cord injury and disease. Listed below is Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Executive Director and Executive Committee. All members of the executive committee are members of Paralyzed Veterans and were elected by Paralyzed Veterans' membership.
GENE A. CRAYTON
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
 Gene A. Crayton, a native of Illinois, was elected national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami on August 21, 2009. Crayton is a former United States Navy corpsman who served with the 26th Marines in Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive. He is the first African-American to be elected to Paralyzed Veterans’ highest office.
Previously Crayton served five years as vice president and three years as senior vice president, being first elected at the 54th Annual Convention in Minneapolis on August 5, 2000. He joined Paralyzed Veterans’ Gateway Chapter in 1983 and later became the chapter’s secretary, president and national director.
Crayton enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves in 1965 during his junior year in high school. Following graduation, he entered active duty and attended Hospital Corps School at the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego followed by field training at Camp Pendleton. He was then assigned to the 26th Marines and shipped to Vietnam. His unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. After leaving active duty, he moved to St. Louis, where he was assigned to the local Marine Corps Reserve Unit. On April 6, 1969, an automobile accident left Crayton a paraplegic. In November 1970, he was honorably discharged from the Navy.
Crayton’s keen interest in making housing and transportation accessible for people with disabilities guided him to initiatives to advance those goals. As the chapter’s housing chairman, Crayton secured a sponsor for an accessible housing project, and in 1992, 40 accessible units in St. Louis opened as Gateway Accessible Housing I. Gateway II and III followed, offering 57 accessible units.
As vice chair of the BiState Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Committee, Crayton addressed the issues associated with accessibility in public transportation. He also worked on the Para Transit Committee seeking to help people with disabilities who cannot reach an accessible bus route. He also served on the Housing and Urban Development ADA Committee, whose goal is to ensure accessible housing opportunities for members of the disability community.
Crayton and his wife Rosa reside in St. Louis. He took office on October 1, 2009, for a one-year term.
HOMER S. TOWNSEND, JR.
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
 Homer S. Townsend, Jr., began serving as Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) Acting Executive Director in July 2007. He was selected as PVA’s Executive Director in March of 2008. In March 2006, Townsend was awarded PVA’s Speedy Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, in recognition of his significant contributions to improving the lives of America’s paralyzed veterans.
Previously, Townsend served as PVA Immediate Past President from October 2000 through September 2004. He served as PVA National President for two years from October 1998 through September 2000. Townsend also served as PVA Senior Vice President for two years and National Vice President for four years. He has served on numerous national PVA committees, including serving as chair of both the PVA Long Range Planning Committee and the PVA Field Advisory Committee.
Originally from Woodland, Maine, Townsend left to join the Marine Corps. He moved to Mesa, Arizona, after being medically retired after serving five and a half years. Townsend served as an aircraft electrician where he was retired as a staff sergeant. He worked on F-4 Phantoms, A-4 Skyhawks, A-6 Intruders and AV-8A Harriers.
Townsend has served at every capacity on the chapter level except that of secretary and treasurer. During his tenure as chapter executive vice president, he was responsible for bringing the Access to the Skies Conference out of Washington, DC, to Phoenix, AZ, where it grew from 40 attendees to over 200 - half being from the disabled community.
In addition to his PVA responsibilities, Townsend has also served as a member of the President’s Committee on Employment of Persons with Disabilities, the Arizona Governor’s Committee on Employment of Persons with Disabilities (1992-1996), and the Mesa Mayor’s Committee on Handicap Awareness (6 years), which he chaired for two years. He was presented the key to the city by the mayor for his dedicated service. Appointed by the governor, he has recently completed a four-year term as a commissioner on the Arizona Veteran Service Commission.
Townsend currently resides in Arlington, Virginia, while serving as PVA Executive Director. His permanent residence is Mesa, Arizona, where he is an entrepreneur. Townsend has a son, Dale, daughter-in-law, Melissa, and three grandchildren, Atticus, Hazel and Edith.
BILL LAWSON
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
 Bill J. Lawson of Woodward, OK, was elected national senior vice president of the Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009. He is a Paralyzed Veterans’ life member.
Lawson had served as a national vice president for Paralyzed Veterans since 2006 and previously from 1995 to 2000. He chaired the Field Advisory Committee from 1996 through 2000 and was reappointed by Paralyzed Veterans’ National President Randy L. Pleva, Sr., to this position in 2006. As chairman, his primary responsibility was that of “watchdog” of the numerous spinal cord injury facilities across the United States.
He also currently serves as chairman of a Paralyzed Veterans’ adhoc committee on multiple sclerosis (MS). This committee is charged with reorganizing a system of care for MS veterans using the VA health-care system. Although active in advocacy and legislation issues, Lawson’s first priority has always been that of improving health care for all veterans, especially those with spinal cord injury or dysfunction.
Before his election to national office, Lawson held various positions in the Mid-America Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans. He served as a panelist on the Oklahoma Veterans Council in Oklahoma City, which is composed of numerous veterans service groups within the state. He also was appointed to serve as a representative on a health-care task force developed by Oklahoma lawmakers. Lawson is a founding member of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter in northwest Oklahoma, where he served as its commander for three years.
While serving in the U.S. Army, Lawson was stationed at various bases throughout the United States, Germany and Japan. He enlisted in 1968 and was honorably discharged in 1979 after 11 years of service to his country. He and his wife, Linda, currently reside in Woodward, OK. Lawson will take office with the other members of Paralyzed Veterans’ Executive Committee on October 1, 2009, for one year.
CRAIG F. ENENBACH
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL TREASURER
Craig F. Enenbach of Omaha, NE, was reelected national treasurer of Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009. This will be Enenbach’s sixth term as national treasurer.
A nine-year U.S. Air Force veteran, Enenbach served with the 15th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron at March Air Force Base (AFB) in California and then was stationed at the headquarters of the Strategic Air Command at Offutt AFB in Nebraska. He has been a service-connected veteran since his discharge in 1976.
Enenbach joined Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company in 1976 and held several managerial positions, retiring in 2005. Beginning on May 1, 2006, he worked at the Omaha VA Nebraska Western-Iowa Health Care System and was the coordinator of the local organizing committee for the 2008 National Veterans Wheelchair Games. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Married to the former Pat O’Reilly on June 8, 1968, at March AFB, the couple have three grown children: USAF Major Mathew Enenbach, USAF Technical Sergeant Anne Enenbach and Continental Express Jet Airline Captain Brian Enenbach.
FRANK J. RIGO
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL SECRETARY
 Frank J. Rigo of Phoenix was reelected national secretary of Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009.
Rigo has been a member of Paralyzed Veterans for 51 years. Beginning in 1978, he served 25 consecutive terms as national secretary. Rigo is a charter member of the Arizona Chapter and served as its secretary for eight years. He is also a life member of both the Arizona Chapter and the former Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association.
Rigo is the executive director of the Arizona Professional Photographers Association and was the Superintendent of the Photography Exhibition of the Arizona State Fair. He has held the two positions for more than 25 years.
Rigo served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and is a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He is a native of Arizona and currently resides in Phoenix.
LAURA M. ELLINGTON
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
 Laura M. Ellington of Fairmont, WV, was elected national vice president of Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009. She is a Paralyzed Veterans’ life member and the first woman to be elected to this position.
When voted into office, Ellington was serving in the capacity of national director for the West Virginia chapter.
Ellington served in the U.S. Air Force from 1982 through 2001. Tours of duty include Suwan, S. Korea; Lackland AFB, TX; Brooks AFB, TX; Bitburg AB, Germany; Saudi Arabia, Kuwait; McClellan AFB, CA; and RAF Alconbury, England. Her career field during that time was public health. Upon retiring with the rank of SSgt, she returned to school at West Virginia University, finishing her bachelor’s degree, and continued to obtain her master of science degree in rehabilitation counseling (2006). Not one to sit still for long, she then pursued a two-year degree program in American sign language interpreting, graduating in 2008.
Ellington is married to John A. Ellington, CMSGT (Ret.), with whom they share 11 children and 22 grandchildren. They currently reside in West Virginia and enjoy volunteering with and for veterans. Ellington has worked as the hospital liaison and sports representative, as well as serving on the Paralyzed Veterans’ Board of Directors, for the chapter. In addition, she works with other veterans groups, sharing information about Paralyzed Veterans with them and bringing back to her chapter news of local veterans events and important issues.
Ellington plans to work with and in Paralyzed Veterans for many years to come and make a difference for veterans with spinal cord injury who don’t know what their potential can be. Her focus will not be on disabilities, but capabilities and putting those to good practice for our members as well as communities.
RICK GLOTFELTY
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
 Rick Glotfelty of Fairfax, VA, was reelected national vice president of Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009.
Glotfelty joined Paralyzed Veterans in 1978 as a national service officer in Pittsburgh. He also held positions at Paralyzed Veterans’ former Tri-State Chapter. He moved to Washington, DC, in early 1981, where he served in the organization’s Veterans Benefits Department as the associate national service director for training and associate national service director for operations.
Glotfelty was promoted to associate executive director of the department in November 1991. In that position, he was responsible for supervising medical services, field services and appeals services through Paralyzed Veterans. In 2002, he joined the Southeastern Chapter as national director.
Glotfelty served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1969. He retired from service after sustaining a spinal cord injury in the line of duty.
JOHN T. JACKSON
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
 John T. Jackson of Richmond, VA, has been reelected national vice president of Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009.
Jackson is a two-year U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam and received the Bronze Star medal. He incurred a T8-T9 spinal cord injury in 1980. Jackson said one of his priorities as VP is to continue to monitor the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) health care services.
Jackson has held a variety of positions with the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Chapter, having served as president, national director, secretary and sports director.
In 2003 the governor of Virginia appointed Jackson to the Joint Leadership Council, which is composed of veterans service organizations that provide direct and indirect support for Virginia veterans and their families, in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS).
He recently was appointed to the Veterans Extended Care Advisory Board by the commissioner of the VDVS. Other service includes membership on the Executive Committee for the Veterans Affairs Volunteer Service at McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond.
AL F. KOVACH JR.
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
 Al F. Kovach Jr. of Coronado, CA, was reelected national vice president of Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009.
Kovach currently serves as the Cal-Diego Chapter immediate past president. He joined the chapter as its government relations director and has served on its board of directors since 1991.
A native of Philadelphia, Kovach attended Indiana University before joining the military as a U.S. Navy Seal. He and his wife, Magaly, reside in Coronado, CA.
RANDY L. PLEVA, SR.
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
 Randy L. Pleva, Sr., became immediate past president of Paralyzed Veterans of America at its 63rd Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, on August 21, 2009. Pleva is the only person to be elected to the office of national president for five terms.
Previously, he served two years as national senior vice president and three years as national vice president. Pleva joined the Kentucky/Indiana Chapter in 1989. He later helped form the West Virginia subchapter. After chapter status was granted to West Virginia Paralyzed Veterans of America in 1992, Pleva was elected as its first president and national director. Pleva held these positions for eight years. He also has served on numerous state and federal committees, either as a member of the board of directors or chairman. In 1998, West Virginia Governor Cecil H. Underwood appointed Pleva Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator.
Pleva joined the US Marine Corps in 1971 and served with the Task Force Delta Unit in Southeast Asia. He was discharged in 1974, became employed as a coal miner and United Mine Workers mediator. In 1982, he sustained a spinal cord injury in a coal mining accident.
Pleva currently resides in Tad, West Virginia. | 
Facebook
Flickr
Twitter
YouTube