tom.groom@teeitupforthetroops.org

Tom Groom is CEO of HealthNexus and is a recognized expert and leader in healthcare information technology. Current work includes helping healthcare companies bring emerging technology to market to address the goals of Healthcare’s Triple Aim of Improving Population Health, Reducing Cost, and Improving the Patient Experience. With over twenty-five years experience in business development across a variety of healthcare, pharmacy and technology companies, Tom has helped move the industry forward through his subject matter expertise and reputation as an innovator.Tom’s background includes serving as Vice President for Business Development for HealthNexis, and McKesson but much of his ability to connect healthcare was the nine years he spent as the Senior Vice President of Business Development for RxHub LLC (now called Surescripts). His responsibilities included Business Development, Marketing and Communications, as well as Federal Affairs. Along with those responsibilities, Tom provided advisory and leadership roles to e-Prescribing initiatives throughout the country, such as SEMI (SouthEast Michigan Initiative) and ePrescribe Florida. Tom became a national public speaker for e-prescribing, accepting invitations to speak before some of the well-recognized industry organizations and events.

Tom joined the Board of Tee It Up For The Troops in 2015. Tom has a passion for leveraging his experiences and relationships in healthcare to support those that have served in the military.

tim@teeitupforthetroops.org

Tim Wegscheid joined the Tee It Up for the Troops organization in October 2013 after holding several executive positions within the private sector. Tim enjoyed management roles with several sports and entertainment properties, including the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Wild and the Target Center arena in Minneapolis. In addition, Tim spent eight years at the PGA TOUR’s golf property in Minnesota – the TPC Twin Cities.

Throughout each of those various positions, Tim gained valuable experience in marketing, management, and delivering operational excellence around many high-end events. During his tenure at the TPC, Tim also had a leadership role in helping to launch the national “Birdies for the Brave” initiative within the PGA TOUR’s family of TPC golf courses. It was during this effort that Tim was first able to combine his passion for golf with his passion for supporting our veterans and military families.

Outside of work, Tim enjoys volunteering for several organizations and events, including a youth golf event in his hometown that is named in honor of his father, an ARMY veteran. He also enjoys coaching several sports teams in his local community.

Tim and his wife, Dianne, live in Shorewood, Minnesota, and have three children: Nicole, Adam, and Haley.

terry@teeitupforthetroops.org

Terry Branham enlisted and served 26 years active duty in the US Army and retired as a Colonel and Master Army Aviator. He served in Vietnam as a Cobra Attack Helicopter Pilot and Platoon Leader, was awarded the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross. Twenty years later during the Gulf War he was an Apache Helicopter Squadron Commander and Apache Pilot leading the first Squadron sized Apache attack into Iraq.As a Colonel, because of my extensive night operations experience, I was asked to lead the Department of State Air Wing for the U.S. Drug War in South America for over 2 ½ years. His unit of 13 Army Officers and 500 contract and host nation people with 60 Helicopters and 12 Thrush Spray Aircraft were operating out of a Florida base in Peru, Guatemala, Bolivia, Belize and Ecuador performing night assaults into the jungle to destroy cocaine labs, spray Cocaine and Heroin crops in the mountains, and to capture drug cartel aircraft transiting drugs from and thru these countries. Terry managed a budget of $31 million dollars supported his team that would capture over 1 Billion dollars in drugs each year.

Terry also served as a Field Artillery Battery Commander, a Field Artillery Battalion S-3, an Aviation Battalion S-3 in South Korea, a Cobra Attack Helicopter Company Commander, an Aviation Brigade Executive Officer, a Nuclear Weapons Security Instructor in Germany and Department of the Army Inspector General Nuclear Weapons Security and Surety Inspector for worldwide certifications.

He and his wife Barb reside in Lakeville, MN and serve as a Marriage Mentor couple for Pre-Marriage Couples with Mercy Road Church. Terry co-leads a team of men funded by the Lakeville VFW Post to build disability ramps for disabled veterans and their families across the entire metro area and have built 80 ramps in the past 8 years.

joe.tessmer@teeitupforthetroops.org

Joe Tessmer is Senior Vice President and Head of Funding & Investments in U.S. Bank’s Corporate Treasury Division. Joe joined the bank in 2005, and currently manages various bank functions including USB’s investment portfolio, wholesale funding, deposit and investment product sales force, and balance sheet derivative hedging. Joe is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Minnesota. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston University’s School of Management. He resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and daughter.

Joe joined the board of Tee It Up for the Troops in 2017. He has a passion for the game of golf and is excited about the opportunity to use his knowledge and experience to help those who have served their country in the military.

jeff@teeitupforthetroops.org

Jeff Anderson has been involved with Tee It Up for the Troops from the beginning of the organization when it was still in the concept stage. While Jeff has not served in the military, his family has served in every war all the way back to the Civil War. Jeff’s day job is as a real estate agent with RE/MAX Results. Jeff is married to Diane and has two children. He has served on the board of Tee It Up for the Troops as the Vice-President, Secretary and President.

liz@teeitupforthetroops.org

Liz Dapp joined the Tee It Up for the Troops board of directors in May of 2018. A former military spouse and expeditionary forces federal employee, she has always had a passion for causes relating to our service members and their families. Liz spearheaded the efforts to bring the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s annual national convention to Minnesota and acted as the chairwoman and president of the Medal of Honor Convention Twin Cities, one of the most successful in CMOHS history. In advance of the convention, she partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program to host the first ever Medal of Honor Hiring Fair and Employer Round-table, with 300 veterans and nearly 100 national and local employers in attendance. Building a 501(c)(3) from the ground up has given her a wide array of knowledge and skills, including: communications, public relations, event planning, event programming, entertainment, sponsorship, social media, partnerships, volunteer management, registration, security, transportation, travel, and print and graphic design. With an extensive depth and breadth of non-profit experience, Liz currently acts as an adviser and consultant to start-up and expanding non-profit organizations.

Through personal experience, Liz understands and appreciates the hardships service members and their families struggle with, not only through active duty and deployment, but also after transitioning to civilian life. She is extremely passionate about making life “easier” for these families, especially as they battle long-lasting and/or permanent effects of military service.

Liz is married to Tony, a 20-year Navy veteran who led three Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (Seabees) deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Liz and Tony currently reside in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and have two amazing daughters, Honor and Sailor. In Liz’s spare time she enjoys going to the cabin, working on construction projects, playing sports and participating in family game nights.

johnk@teeitupforthetroops.org

John Kline is retired from both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. House of Representatives. He served on active duty in the Marines from 1969 to 1994. A helicopter pilot, he is a veteran of operations in both Vietnam and Somalia. John flew helicopters, including “Marine One”, as a pilot in Marine Helicopter Squadron One, and he served as Marine Corps Aide to both Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. After retiring as a colonel from active duty in the Marines, John ran for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District and served in the House for 14 years. In Congress, he served on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce (a committee he chaired for 6 years), the Intelligence Committee and the Ethics Committee.

John lives in Burnsville, Minnesota with his wife, Vicky (a retired U.S. Army nurse). He is particularly proud of his two children (one of whom is a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army) and four grandchildren.

jeff.monssen@teeitupforthetroops.org

Jeffrey Monssen enlisted and served 30 years active duty in the United Stated Marine Corps and retired as a Sergeant Major.

He deployed to the Western Pacific with the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 166 (Reinforced), 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, aboard the USS Peleliu for 6 months. Upon completion of this deployment, he deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, aboard the USS New Orleans for 10 months, upon return he deployed a second time to in support of Operation Desert Storm to support naval vessels within the region for 5 months. In 1992, he deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia with Marine Aircraft Group-16, in support of Operation Restore Hope.

In March 1993, he received his Aerial Observer/Gunner certification in the CH-46E Sea Knight and conducted multiple anti-drug Joint Task Force operations across the United States and South America. In April 1996, he attended Drill Instructor School, MCRD San Diego, California and upon graduation was assigned to Company K,
3d Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment where he served as a Drill Instructor and Senior Drill Instructor.

He then deployed to Kuwait in 2000 with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 in support of Operation Southern Watch. Later that year he reported to 3D Marine Aircraft Wing as an Inspector. Following his selection to Gunnery Sergeant in 2002 he reported to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 in Yuma, AZ.

Following selection to First Sergeant he transferred to Battery G, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He deployed 9 months to Fallujah, Iraq in 2006 with Regimental Combat Team 5 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon his return, he deployed 8 months on ship with Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2008 aboard the USS Tarawa in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon his return, he reported to School of Infantry East, Marine Combat Training Battalion as a Company First Sergeant. Upon selection to Sergeant Major, reported to School of Infantry East, Infantry Training Battalion.

He then reported to 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division as the Battalion Sergeant Major and deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012. Upon return, 3d Battalion, 9th Marines was deactivated and he reported to Marine Aircraft Group 31 as the Group Sergeant Major, Beaufort, SC.

In 2015 he assumed his duties as the Training Command Sergeant Major and upon completion of his duties, retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2018.

jeff.morgan@teeitupforthetroops.org

Jeffrey D. Morgan, FASAE, CAE, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA). He officially joined CMAA on October 1, 2014. Morgan is an association executive who has held various executive management positions in trade and professional associations for more than 25 years. Morgan thrives in an environment where the business or profession is changing. The association, in this changing environment, must be a proactive hub to provide information, community, research, and knowledge in this evolving environment to help members overcome this change to be successful.

Prior to joining CMAA, Morgan served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) from 2008-2014. Morgan has also held senior positions in two other associations focusing on global derivatives and property & casualty insurance.

A Pennsylvania native, Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree in Business with a focus on finance and technology from Susquehanna University and a master of science in nonprofit management. Morgan is a Certified Association Executive and a member and Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives.

When Jeff is not working he enjoys unplugging at their Maryland beach home, traveling with his wife, working on his golf game at his Annapolis area golf club or just disconnecting by working in his yard.

ron@teeitupforthetroops.org

Ronald J. Schutz is the Managing Partner of the New York office and a member of the Executive Board of the national law firm of Robins Kaplan L.L.P. , where he has been for since 1987. He served four years (1981 to 1985) in the United States Army JAG Corps stationed with the 7th Infantry Division. His son Erik is a 2007 West Point Graduate. Ron became involved with Tee It Up for the Troops, because he doesn’t think our country does enough to support its troops and he wanted to get more involved.Ron’s graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1981. He earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at Marquette University in 1978. Ron is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. In 2008 the National Law Journal named him to its annual list of the Top 10 Winning Litigators in the United States.  Ron has received many awards and recognitions, following are just a few of the most recent:

• Listed in “Who’s Who Legal: Patents” (2017)
• Named a “Patent Star” Managing Intellectual Property (2016-2018)
• Listed as a “Recommended Individual for Litigation and Licensing (Minnesota),” and “Top National Plaintiff Patent Lawyer,” IAM 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners (2012-2017)
• Named a “Litigation Star,” Benchmark Litigation (2011-2017 editions)
• Ranked #1 in Minnesota for Litigation: Intellectual Property in Chambers USA (2008-2018)
• Listed in “500 Leading Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon (2010-2018)
• Named a “Minnesota Super Lawyer in Intellectual Property Litigation,” Super Lawyers (2003-2018),  “Top 10 Super Lawyers” (2009, 2012-2018), and “Top 100 Minnesota Super Lawyers” (2006-2018)
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
• According to Chambers USA’s profile “Ron Schutz’s trial experience has earned him a reputation as ‘one of the most successful IP lawyers in the country.’  Schutz, chair of the firm’s IP litigation department, has won a series of huge victories running to hundreds of millions of dollars.”
• Included in The Best Lawyers in America Eleventh Edition to the present

Ron is extensively involved in community and public affairs. He is a former Chair and current board member of the Center of the American Experiment. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities and a board member of the Guthrie Theater.  He is a member of the St. Thomas Law School Journal Board of Advisors. Ron is also a past president of the University of Minnesota Law School Alumni Association. He is also the most recent past Chair of the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection (appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty).  In 2010 Campaigns & Elections Magazine named Ron one of the 100 most influential people in Minnesota politics. Ron also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pawlenty for President (2011 to 2012).

Ron married his high school sweetheart, Janet, and they have three adult children. Matt, their oldest is a graduate of Georgetown University and lives in London where he owns a consulting company. Erik is their number two son and a graduate of West Point. He served year-long tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan as an Infantry Officer. He left the Army in July 2012 to attend Harvard Business School and is now the CEO of an HR outsourcing company. Erik lives in Wayzata with his wife Erin. Their youngest, Kristin, is a graduate of SMU. She works in London for her older brother Matt.

In his spare time (of which he has little), Ron enjoys outdoor adventure activities, including running marathons and triathlons and hunting.

jen@teeitupforthetroops.org

Jen is a client advocate at Lockton Companies, helping businesses improve their risk management profiles, evaluate their insurance needs and improve employee benefits and wellness programs. She lives with her husband and two daughters, Terra and Alli, in Waconia and stays active on a co-ed volleyball team, through golf and exploring Minnesota. She began volunteering with Tee It up for the Troops in 2016 through our Mendakota charity golf event. Since then she and her husband, Mark, have participated as combat veteran golfers for Minnesota events and in 2019, Jen joined the Tee it Up for the Troops Board of Directors.

She served in the U.S. Army from ’00-’04, with a tour in Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division and deployment in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division, 4th FSB Packhorse during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2003 she sustained a gunshot injury when a base in Tikrit was attacked. As a mental health specialist, Jen saw firsthand how combat, hardship tours and other crisis could impact soldiers, their families and their physical/mental wellbeing.

Now a service-disabled combat veteran, Jen believes passionately in ensuring veterans are connected with the services and support they need to live healthy, productive and quality lives after their military careers.