Denver, Co., USA - February 15, 2016, Denver, Co., USA - Air Methods Corporation, an air medical transportation company, announced that Jessica Garfola Wright, Major General (Ret.) has been appointed to the company's board.
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General Wright will serve as a Class I director and will stand for re-election to the Board at the 2016 Annual Meeting.
General Wright brings a wealth of leadership experience from her distinguished career to Air Methods, previously serving as the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness before retiring in early 2015.
As the Undersecretary of Defense, General Wright served as the senior policy advisor to the Secretary of Defense on all matters relating to recruitment, retention, pay and healthcare and benefits for the uniformed members and civilians of the department.
In addition, General Wright had supervisory responsibility for 32,000 personnel, the execution of an annual budget of $43.6B, overall responsibility for the world-wide Defense Health Programs which included 54 Hospitals, 350 Clinics, 280 Dental Clinics and TRICARE management and its 9.6 million beneficiaries.
During her first year as the Undersecretary of Defense, General Wright implemented the Defense Health Agency and instituted 10 shared services across the Department of Defense medical communities, resulting in significant savings.
Prior to serving as Undersecretary of Defense, General Wright was appointed as the Adjutant General by the Governor of Pennsylvania in 2004. She also served as the National Guard Bureau Chair for the Safety (Aviation/Ground) Committee for 54 States, Territories and the District of Columbia.
General Wright was the first female Army Aviator in the Army National Guard and the first female Combat Aviation Brigade Commander in the entire Army.
Air Methods also announced that Directors George W. Belsey and Major General Carl H. McNair, USA (Ret.) have notified the Company of their decision to retire from the Board at the end of their current terms, which expire at the 2016 Annual Meeting.
Mr. Belsey has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since April 1994, and has served on the Board of Directors since December 1992. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective in June 1994, and served in that capacity until July 2003, and thereafter provided consulting services to the Company pursuant to the terms of his Consulting Agreement which terminated in 2008.
Mr. Belsey previously served in various executive and administrative positions at the American Hospital Association and at a number of hospitals.
Mr. Belsey received his Bachelor's Degree in Economics from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
General McNair has served on the Board of Directors since March 1996. In April 1999, he retired from his position as Corporate Vice President and President, Enterprise Management, for DynCorp, a technical and professional services company headquartered in Reston, Virginia, where he was responsible for the company's core businesses in facility management, marine operations, test and evaluation, administration and security, and biotechnology and health services.
General McNair then served as Special Assistant, Government Relations and Legislative Affairs to the CEO of DynCorp until 2003 when acquired by CSC, where he continued service in the corporate offices of Computer Sciences Corporation until 2010. ■