BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Trevor Romain, Co-founder, Past Chairman
Trevor began donating his time to help kids during his required military training as a young man in the South African Army in 1975. His assignment was to set up medical tents for injured children...
Against the warnings of his superiors, Trevor befriended the children he met there and discovered that he had a natural talent to make children laugh. It was then that he earned the nickname Doctor of Mischief.
In 1982, Trevor moved to the U.S. where he made his home with his wife, Amiel, in Austin, Texas. He still visits his family in South Africa regularly. Over the past 25 years, Trevor has written and/or illustrated dozens of children's books, including "Chemo, Craziness and Comfort" that is given to children diagnosed with cancer through the American Childhood Cancer Organization. Trevor has been involved with the American Childhood Cancer Organization since 1993 and is now President of their Board.
Trevor is currently President of the Trevor Romain Company, a children's educational publishing company.
Jim Kozlowski, Chairman
Jim is a co-founder of TGF Management in Austin, and previously a Managing Director at Fortis Private Capital in New York. Jim received his B.A. degree in Economics from Harvard College and his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. He has worked in the Corporate Finance Group at Credit Suisse First Boston and the Commercial Lending Division of Chemical Bank in New York.
Also, Jim also served as Chairman of the Children's Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas and is an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum and a member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
Major General (R) Aycock, Director
MG(R) Al Aycock is the Managing Partner of the Ramparts Group, a company dedicated to aligning business and industry with defense needs and opportunities in the areas of military base management, energy, and the Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. He received numerous awards for distinguished service from his 38-year military career.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy, a Master of Education from Fayetteville State University with induction into the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College, a certificate in Advanced Strategic Art and a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University.
Charlie Hooker, Director
After graduating from West Point, Charlie commanded units in the Airborne Infantry and Special Operations where he planned, implemented and led numerous direct and covert operations worldwide. Charlie was the President and Managing Member of High Rise Capital, a real estate hedge fund.
Prior to High Rise, Charlie served on the faculty of the United States Military Academy in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership as the Visiting Professor of Management. He attended the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University for his MBA after his service in the US Army. Charlie served on the West Point Board of Trustees and the Board of Baltusrol Golf Club as the Chairman of the Admissions Committee, Executive Committee, Long Range Planning Committee and Security Committee.
Mike Mackey, Director
Mike is a Partner/Managing Director for the Baker Group and is registered as an investment advisor, principal, and representative with FINRA. Mike serves on the Baker Executive Committee and manages the Baker Group Texas office. Mike is the son of a military veteran and has donated time to: the Gladney Center for Adoption, Habitat for Humanity, Cattle Baron’s Ball, and the Rise School of Austin.
Bryan Schneider, Director
As a father of three young children and an Army veteran, Bryan is passionate about the mission of the Comfort Crew. Bryan is honored to be able to help improve the experience of children while their parents support our country abroad. Bryan was a member of the 3rd Ranger Battalion and spent 4 tours abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan in US Special Operations. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from St Edwards University and is a real estate executive and private investor in Austin, Texas.
Angela Salyer, Executive Director
Angela was born in the Panama Canal Zone, where her father was stationed in the Army Medical Corps. She returned to the States with her family at age 3. She and her family lived at Ft. Meade, MD and Ft. Bragg, NC until her father transitioned out of the military and moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Angela received The Comfort Crew for Military Kids “Volunteer of the Year” Award in 2011 and she joined the Crew as a staff member in 2012. Her passion for helping military children continues to be fulfilled by the Crew’s mission to serve our country by strengthening military families.