SAN ANTONIO, TX, July 30, 2015 — The Green Beret Foundation is pleased to announce that two former Green Berets and successful business leaders are joining its Board of Directors, Frank Monestere and Bob E. Parsons III. Los Angeles-based Monestere has served as President and Chief Operating Officer of LegalZoom for more than a decade. Parsons, a resident of Apopko, Florida, is President of Ronin Leadership.
The U.S. Army Special Forces, or Green Berets, take on dangerous missions behind enemy lines to protect our families and freedom. The Green Beret Foundation provides immediate financial assistance and advocacy to those Green Berets injured in the line of duty, to their families, and to the families of Green Berets killed in action. It also provides support through its two legacy programs: the Next Ridgeline, a transition program for Green Berets, and the Steel Magnolias, the sorority for the other Quiet Professionals – the Green Beret’s caregiver.
“We are very excited to have such an influx of talent, dedication, and business world experience come to our board,” said Jennifer Paquette, Executive Director. “These men know intimately the struggles that Green Berets face during active duty and when transitioning to the wider world after their intensive service to our country. Both Frank and Bob bring enormous insight and guidance in our development of Foundation as a whole and specifically The Next Ridgeline.”
Both Frank and Bob will help the Foundation in all its work including its current major program, The Next Ridgeline, which supports former Special Forces soldiers leverage their unique talents for pursuing business careers. The Next Ridgeline Trains, Advises, and Assists Green Berets as they transition from active duty to their communities. As they rejoin their families and begin their journeys finding a new purpose after their active duty service, Green Berets will enjoy a head start thanks to Next Ridgeline. The program provides resources to support this transition across three main pillars: Redirection of their passion and purpose; strengthening Resilience in mind, body and spirit; and Reintegration into the civilian world through employment, mentorship and education.
For more information on supporting the foundation, volunteering or other opportunities to support our Green Berets, visit us at www.greenberetfoundation.org and follow us on social media. The Green Beret Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
The Green Beret Foundation is committed to advancing the truths of the Special Operations Forces:
Humans are more important than Hardware.
Quality is better than Quantity.
Special Operations Forces cannot be mass-produced.
Competent Special Operation Forces cannot be created after emergencies occur
Most Special Operations require non-SOF assistance.
ABOUT FRANK MONESTERE
Frank serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of LegalZoom, the country’s largest online legal solutions provider for families, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Prior to joining LegalZoom, Frank was a management consultant and assisted clients in executing technology-focused business initiatives for Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and others. Frank Monestere served as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division and as a Detachment Commander in 3rd Special Forces Group (Green Berets) with deployments to Bosnia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
As an angel investor, Frank enjoys assisting promising early stage e-commerce companies with a focus on veteran owned businesses. In addition, he is active in a variety of veteran assistance programs, to include serving on the Board of Advisors to the Special Forces Charitable Trust.
Frank holds a B.S. in International Relations from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where he focused on operations strategy and management. He is also an active member in the Pacific Council on International Policy and the Young Presidents Organization (YPO).
ABOUT BOB E. PARSONS III
Bob Parsons is President of Ronin Leadership, a management consulting company that provides strategy, operational improvement, marketing, and leadership development. Previously, Bob served as Chief, Security Force Assistance Proponent Office (Colonel, Special Forces) with the U.S. Army. In that role, Bob was involved in the US Special Operation Command’s (USSOCOM’s) efforts supporting the Department of Defense’s initiative to institutionalize Security Force Assistance (SFA). Prior to SFA, Bob served as Chief of Operations for U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters. As a Special Forces Officer, Bob equipped and advised Iraqi forces to independently plan and sustain counterinsurgency operations and developed one of the most effective Iraqi units in Baghdad.
Acquiring a residential contracting company in 2001, Bob led the company as President to a threefold sales increase and a 200% improvement in customer retention through a new business strategy and major market repositioning. Bob also served as Director for Strategy and Business Development for the $43B international retailer Sears Roebuck & Co.
Bob holds a MBA in Executive Management from Baylor University and a B.A. in Organizational Communication from the University of South Florida. His community involvement includes serving as Executive Board Member for the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando, Boy Scouts of America Venturing Crew Committee Chair, and Board of Advisors Member of the Green Beret Foundation.
