Our Board
Overwatch Alliance is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of active duty military, veterans and business professionals. Board members all serve without pay and donate financially to the Alliance.
Leonard Hearne "Bill" Armistead III
Bill Armistead III was born and raised in Franklin, TN. A graduate of Franklin's Battle Ground Academy, he attended Southern Methodist University and Vanderbilt University School of Law. He practiced law in Nashville for 17 years, after first working at Commerce Union Bank in the Trust Department, and later with the law firm of Baker, Worthington, Stansberry, and Woolf (now Baker Donelson) where he served for 5 years as the Hiring Partner. Although he no longer practices law, he is a member of the Tennessee and Nashville Bar Associations.
Bill previously was the Chairman and part of ownership and management of both Can-Do National Tape and Arvis Corporation.
He is a member of the Race Committee of The Volunteer State Horseman's Foundation, the 501(c)(3) whose function is to manage and produce the annual steeplechase event benefitting the Monroe Carell, Jr., Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt – the Iroquois Steeplechase, held in Nashville on the second Saturday in May every year. Bill is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Battle Ground Academy and a Trustee of the Jack C. Massey Foundation.
Frank Bumstead, Masters of Business Management, USN Veteran
Frank Bumstead is a Principal with Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy (FBBM), a financial management firm with offices in both Nashville and New York. He has over 35 years of experience as a professional financial advisor, investment advisor, and in valuations, mergers, sales and acquisitions. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University (BBA) and The Vanderbilt Owen School of Management (MBM).
Mr. Bumstead has served on numerous boards in the past, including the American Retirement Corp., Dede Wallace Center, The American Red Cross, ECA, Inc., American Constructors, Inc., American Cine Wire, Inc., Junior Achievement of Nashville, Watkins Institute, and Junior League Advisory Board.
His current board memberships include: Brookdale Senior Living, Chair, Compensation Committee; Syntroleum, Inc., Member, Audit & Compensation Committees; Memorial Foundation, Inc., (a $150 million charitable foundation), Chair, Finance & Investment Committee, Member Executive Committee; Nashville Wire Products, Inc., Audit Committee.
He successfully negotiated and arranged for the sale of CMT Network to Opryland, as well as the merger of Music Row Magazine with Southcomm. Mr. Bumstead is the 2014 President of the Board of Directors for the Country Music Association. Frank is also a U.S. Navy Vietnam War Veteran. He and his wife, Ann, reside in the Nashville area. They have two children and seven grandchildren.
Jerry C. Breast, RADM, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Jerry C. Breast was born and raised in Shelbyville, TN, and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1958 with an NROTC commission and a degree in physics. After completing flight training, he was designated a naval aviator in 1959. He spent the next 17 years in the Navy flying single-seat light attack aircraft from attack aircraft carriers. While on shore duty, he attended the U.S. Naval Post-Graduate School, U.S. naval Test Pilot School, the Naval War College, Catholic University and served in test flight tours at VX-5 and Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, MD. These tours led him to pursue a Master’s Degree in International Politics with a sub-specialty in Aeronautical Engineering and designation as a Weapons Systems Acquisition Manager.
During the hostilities in Vietnam, RADM Breast flew 336 combat missions over North Vietnam while on three deployments between 1967 and 1973. He then commanded the “Marauders” of Attack Squadron 82 home based at NAS Cecil Field, FL. In 1975, he was assigned as the Operations Officer for the USS America’s first tour as a CV, upon promotion to Captain, he spent 14 months as the Executive Officer for the USS America. He became the Commanding Officer of the USS Savannah in early 1980 and then of the aircraft carrier Independence in late 1981. Following command of the USS Independence, he was promoted to flag rank and assumed command of the USN Safety Center at NAS Norfolk, VA. In July 1985, he assumed command of the Carrier Group TWO and in October 1985 he deployed to the Mediterranean, where he took command of the Battle Force SIXTH Fleet in November.
Acting as Strike Warfare Commander for the multi-carrier Battle Force, RADM Breast was responsible for all USN strike planning and execution during operations in Libya and the Gulf of Sidra. He was assigned as Director of Operations, US Space Command in January 1987 and was promoted to RADM (upper half) on 1 March 1987. He retired from active Naval service and returned to Nashville, TN where he held four positions in the business and education fields over a 20-year span. He still resides in the Nashville area, serves as an elder at his church, and continues to raise roses in the loving tradition of his late wife of 47 years. In 2010, he had the distinct honor of having a segment of State Route 64 in Bedford County, TN named after him.
Susan D. Favero, Col. ARNG (Ret.)
Col. Susan Favero served over 28 years with the WAARNG. Her military career included two years as Training Officer and 3-½ years as MED COM Commander for WAARNG. During her Command time, two Brigades were deployed to the Far East. MEDCOM was responsible for the medical readiness for all deployments and redeployments. Over 8,000 soldiers were deployed and redeployed during her Command time.
Col. Favero is a Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR) with over 40 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse. She has participated in five mission trips to Mexico and Guatemala and a mission awareness trip to Africa.
Col. Favero is a certified American Red Cross (ARC) Instructor for First Aid, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, Disaster Action Team (DAT) responder for County emergencies and National Disaster Responder as Health Service Manager.
She and her husband, Jerry, divide their time between Wisconsin and Arizona where she is an active member of the FOS Lions Club, Church and other community projects.
Col. Favero has been a member of the ASMBA Board of Governors (BOG) for the past six years and served as BOG Chair for two years.
Debra R. Kubiet, CSM, USAR (Ret.)
Command Sergeant Major Kubiet is a retired National Account Manager for the Internal Revenue Service. In that position, she demonstrated herself as a resourceful leader at implementing high profile, electronic filing tax compliance programs within the large tax professional industry for both individual and business taxpayers. In partnership with the internal business operating divisions, she created integrated strategies to enhance existing e-commerce applications and e-file brand/product evolution, while maintaining the existing budget parameters.
Her strong interpersonal skills provided her the ability to build on the existing partnerships between internal and external stakeholders to secure positive input and support of the business’ goals. Her ability to consistently gather customer feedback, provide prompt and professional responses while striving to improve overall customer service was evident in her establishment of weekly conference calls to discuss and identify current business trends.
Joining the active duty Army in 1973, CSM Kubiet served in a variety of Military Occupational Specialties, military units, and has held progressively responsible positions. She served on numerous Boards which included, but were not limited to: Junior and Senior Promotions Boards, NCO/Soldier of the Year Boards, SGT Audie Murphy Boards, as well as serving as the NCO Professional Development Coordinator for her reserve unit. CSM Kubiet served three mobilizations; two deployments to the Middle East and her last assignment was at Ft. Hood, TX as the CSM with the Hood Mobilization Brigade. CSM Kubiet resides in Raleigh, NC, where she is an active member and volunteer in her local community and church, and enjoys gardening, reading, running and biking.
Mitsi Lindsay is the Principal Broker and 2nd generation family business proprietor of The Carter Company, Inc., a full-service real estate management company located in the Nashville, TN area, including commercial, industrial, flex space and single tenant retail properties. She has held the real estate designation of Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) since 2010 and is a current member of the CCIM Institute. Mrs. Lindsay has a BBA from Auburn University and an MBA from Belmont University. She was a member of the American Red Cross Tennessee Valley Blood Board from 2005 to 2012 and served as Board Chair from 2009 to 2011. She is also a graduate of the Young Leaders Council for Non-Profits.
She is married to Keith Lindsay, and they have one son, Charlie. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, running, reading, and attending any event or sport that Charlie is participating in, but most importantly she treasures her time with family when they all come together at the family farm in McEwen, TN.
Dennis Tonneslan, HMCM (SS/FMF) USN (Ret.)
Master Chief Tonneslan began his Navy career in 1972. Prior to his retirement in 1998, he served the Navy Medical Department in various roles, including 10 years as an Independent Duty Hospital Corpsman in Submarines. His last assignment included administering medical programs for 14 commands in the Western United States including four deep submergence vehicles, two surface ships, three submarines, and three support units. He was the NAVOSH PM for 14 commands and also served as the Radiation Health Officer for deep-sea divers.
Master Chief Tonneslan has more than 30 years of professional experience in administering and providing health care and implementing information technology solutions in a healthcare environment. He is currently an RN and a Clinical Analyst for a leading population health company dedicated to helping organizations improve care, reduce costs, and manage risk. His educational background includes courses at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute, San Francisco State University, and the Naval School of Health Sciences.
He joined the Overwatch Alliance Board of Advisors in 1993 and is currently serving on Overwatch Alliance's Board of Governors. He has also served on the Overwatch Alliance’s Board of Directors since it was created in April 2008.
He is a member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and in his free time volunteers with local veterans’ organizations, including the Disabled American Veterans and Heartbeat—Serving Wounded Warriors. He also enjoys exploring the Great Pacific Northwest by foot, on bike and motorcycle. He and his wife, Pam, live in Oregon, and they have one daughter, Genna.
Executive Staff & Non-Voting Board
Brice N. Smith, CPA, President
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Schren L. Head, Secretary and Grants Administrator
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Board Emeritus
Carter A. Howard, USA Veteran (July 20, 1949 - January 11, 2021)
Carter A. (Corky) Howard was the Founder and President of The Carter Company, Inc., in Nashville, Tennessee. From its humble beginnings in 1980, he built the organization from a one-man residential management company into a full-service, family-owned real estate management company, including multi-family, commercial, residential and industrial properties. He was a Certified Property Manager and Broker, and served as Chairman of the local Industrial Development Board. He was one of Nashville’s most respected real property investors, and during his career he was been directly responsible for the acquisition and disposition of over $100 million of real estate investment assets. He served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1971, and was a Vietnam Veteran. His brother, Jimmy, also served during that time, and was killed in action. His time in service and the death of his brother ingrained in him a passion for our military. He was one of the founders of the ASMBA STAR Foundation (Overwatch Alliance) and served as a Board member as well as a member of the Vietnam Veteran Leadership Program - he continued to actively serve and support veterans’ causes both locally and nationwide until his death.
Carter and his wife, Pam, were married for 42 years and have two daughters, Mitsi and Anita. Both girls are principal partners in the family business and live close by with their own families. He was proud of his family and liked nothing better than to be spending time with them, hunting, fishing, just visiting, or rambling around at his farm in Middle Tennessee on his tractor with his grandchildren.
He left us too soon to continue to serve the military, veterans and their families and his stamp will forever be on Overwatch Alliance.
“The camp was the best it has ever been and we thank Overwatch Alliance for making it possible and for providing these boys an experience they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
– Chris Coulter, Knights of Heroes Foundation