PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is proud to announce the formation of the National Leadership Committee in support of its Remember Pearl Harbor national campaign to raise $51 million to restore and share the legacy of America’s World War II Aviation Battlefield.
The campaign aims to ensure that the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, is remembered, our service members honored, and the battlefield on which American lives were lost is forever preserved.
A 60-foot curved screen that will tell the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor is one of the major upgrades to Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum that will be funded by the Remember Pearl Harbor National Campaign.
Gen. Richard B. Myers, USAF (Ret.) and his wife Mary Jo will serve as the campaign Co-Chairpersons.
“As we consider our commitment to lead the Remember Pearl Harbor campaign, we are focused on raising both the awareness and the funding needed to transform the local, national and worldwide impact of the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum,” General and Mrs. Myers said. “As Co-Chairpersons of this initiative, we realize that this is not a task that we can champion on our own. It is a vision that can only be achieved with the collective support of a team of leaders who recognize the importance of this national imperative, to honor those who served, and to inspire future generations to take flight, both literally and figuratively. Bringing the history of Pearl Harbor to life and advancing programs that prepare our young people for the challenges of their future have never been more important.”
The National Leadership Committee will support the Museum’s mission and vision and advance the Remember Pearl Harbor campaign. This committee will drive two critical initiatives: the preservation, redesign, and expansion of collections and artifacts directly tied to the unique history of America’s WWII Aviation Battlefield, and the advancement of educational and workforce development programs that strengthen the future for youth in Hawaii and beyond.
With celebrations taking place across our country in honor of our nation’s 250th birthday, it is critical that we remember and honor the valor and resilience of our WWII heroes, military and civilian, who stepped forward when the freedom of our nation and the world was threatened. Our nation’s response to December 7th serves as a reminder across our 250 years of independence that there is no greater service to country than defending our rights to be free.
“Our Board of Directors and I are deeply grateful to General and Mrs. Myers and to every member of the National Leadership Committee for lending their leadership, credibility, and commitment to this national effort. Pearl Harbor is not only a place in history; it is a living American battlefield and a powerful classroom. Together, we will preserve this sacred ground, share the stories of those who served, and inspire future generations through education, aviation, and service,” said John Hiltz, CEO, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
It is with great enthusiasm and appreciation that we introduce the full team of civic, military, corporate, and government leaders in support of the Remember Pearl Harbor campaign.”
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
GEN. RICHARD B. MYERS, USAF (RET.)
National Leadership Committee Co-Chairperson
USAF, (RET); Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001 under Bush; Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Clinton; Recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005; Combat pilot flying 600 combat hours during the Vietnam War; Former Commander of U.S. forces in Japan and Fifth Air Force; Assistant to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff; Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Space Command; President Emeritus, Kansas State University.
MRS. MARY JO MYERS
National Leadership Committee Co- Chairperson
Educator and military family advocate; Board member of Fisher House and helped initiate the “Hero Miles Program;” Founding Board member of Aschiana Foundation supporting working street children in Afghanistan; Appointed to the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2006 and later served on the Women’s Initiative Advisory Council at the Bush Center.
MRS. MARY BASS
Member of the Board and Private Equity practices at Spencer Stuart, active in the Energy, Financial Officer, Financial Services, Industrial and Healthcare practices; Leader of a broad-based search practice focusing on assignments for board directors, CEOs, chief operating officers, chief human resources officers and chief financial officers for growth companies nationwide; Served on and Chaired the firm’s global partner nominations committee and is a recipient of the Lou Rieger Quality Award for client service.
VADM DANIEL L. CHEEVER, USN (RET.)
Former Commander, Naval Air Forces US Pacific Fleet Command with over three decades of Naval aviation service and multiple command assignments including Commander, Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center; Former Chief of Staff to Commander, Naval Air Forces; Former Department Head for TOPGUN and Strike at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center; Former Chief of Staff, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command.
MR. GREGORY F. COLEMAN
Head of Integrated Marketing at Amazon MGM Studios, leading Franchise Marketing, Promotional Partnerships, Product Integration, Synergy, and International Marketing; Former Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Franchise Management at Walt Disney Animation Studios.
MR. RICHARD W. “DICK” COOK
Chairman and CEO of Dick Cook Studios; Former Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios overseeing development, production, distribution and marketing for live-action and animated motion pictures from Disney, Pixar, and Touchstone Films; Executive Producer of “42,” the life story of famed baseball player Jackie Robinson; 40-year industry leader and recipient of numerous awards; Current Board Chairman, Rose Hills Foundation; Former Board Chairman, PBS of SoCal; Elected to the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, serving as treasurer for 3 years.
ADM THOMAS B. FARGO, USN (RET.)
Former Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet and the 20th Commander in Chief, Pacific Command; Current Chairman Greenbrier Companies; Former Chairman of Huntington Ingalls Industries and USAA; Former Chairman of the 75th Commemoration of the attack on Pearl Harbor; Recently retired Chairman of Hawaiian Electric Industries.
MR. ERIC FRANKENBERGER
President of Breeze Autocare – operator of Oil Changers and The Wash Shop in the automotive services industry.
MR. THOMAS H. “TOM” JONES
Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman’s Aeronautics Systems Sector, a premier provider of military aircraft, autonomous systems, aerospace structures and next-generation solutions with major operations throughout the United States, including California, Florida, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah.
GEN. LLOYD “FIG” W. NEWTON, USAF (RET.)
Former Combat pilot flying 269 missions in Vietnam; Commander, Air Education and Training; Former member of the USAF Demonstration Squadron, Thunderbirds; Former Executive Vice President of Pratt & Whitney Military Engines; Current President L&E Enterprise Solutions.
GEN. GARY NORTH, USAF (RET.)
Former Commander, Pacific Air Forces and Joint Force Air Component Commander for U.S. Pacific Command; Former Commander of U.S. Air Forces Central; Former Combined Forces Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command (combat ops in Iraq and Afghanistan); Former command pilot with more than 4,700 flying hours primarily in the F-4G, F-15C and F-16; Graduate of Air Force F-16 Fighter Weapons School, flying 83 combat missions in Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; Current Vice President for Customer Requirements for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
THE HONORABLE EDWARD “NED” POWELL
Former President and CEO of the USO World Headquarters; Former member, Defense Business Board, and Chair of the Board Study leading to legislation accepting military training for US Government certification; Former Assistant Secretary for Management (CFO) and Deputy Secretary (Acting), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); Board Member, Telluride Arts Foundation and the Patient Advisory Board, Telluride Medical Clinic; Current consultant on healthcare, nonprofit management, CEO coaching, and veteran related matters with extensive list of affiliations, awards and honors.
MRS. LORI VREEKE
Executive Director of the Si Robin Foundation (founding supporters of Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum), working alongside her father, Si Robin, to design and execute innovative philanthropic investments that advance the aviation industry through education, scholarship, and practice.
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
GEN. JOSEPH W. RALSTON, USAF (RET.)
Former Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe; European diplomat.
GEN. JOHN JUMPER, USAF (RET.)
Former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force; Former Command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, including 1,400 combat hours.
PEARL HARBOR AVIATION MUSEUM:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CEO LEADERSHIP
GEN. RAYMOND E. JOHNS JR., USAF (RET.)
Chairman, Board of Directors
Retired USAF; Former Commander of Air Mobility Command; Test pilot – 83 aircraft flown; Former EVP/Co-CEO FlightSafety International; Former Chairman Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’, Coast Guard, and Airmen’s Club in New York; Boy Scouts of America Director; Current President, Pacific Air Services; Aechelon Technology Director; Chairman of the Board Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
MR. BRAD BALL
Campaign Director, Board of Directors
Former Ad agency principal of Davis, Ball and Colombatto Advertising; CMO, and McDonald’s USA; former President, Warner Brothers Motion Pictures; Chief Entertainment Marketing Officer with NASCAR; and Current member, Board of Director and Executive Committee with Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
MR. JOHN HILTZ
CEO, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Retired Naval Aviator and F/A-18 Combat Pilot with more than 3300 hours of total flight time. Former Right Wing Pilot (#2) of the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels. Commanded US Navy recruiting efforts in the Pacific Northwest. Current CEO, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
About Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum:
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is more than a museum—it’s a place where history, innovation, and inspiration come together. Located on Historic Ford Island, the site of the December 7, 1941 attack, the Museum stands on America’s World War II aviation battlefield. Visitors can walk through bullet-scarred hangars, see legendary aircraft like the Japanese Zero and B-17 Swamp Ghost, and hear the powerful stories of the heroes who changed the course of history. Beyond preserving the past, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is committed to shaping the future. Through youth programs, scholarships, and workforce development initiatives, the Museum educates and empowers the next generation. From signature events like PHAMily Fun Day to hands-on STEM experiences, flight simulators and more, the Museum connects people of all ages with the wonder of flight and the importance of history. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Museum relies on donations, volunteers, and members to fulfill its mission: to steward America’s WWII aviation battlefield and inspire future generations through education and remembrance. Join us, support our work, or plan your visit at PearlHarborAviationMuseum.org
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