Staff
Doug MeffleyCo-Director
Doug joined Honor Flight Chicago as Managing Director (Communications) in 2018. In that role, he handles areas that include external relations, content, events, and public relations. Prior to Honor Flight Chicago, Doug spent 18 years as a student and staff member at Northwestern University. Most recently, he was the Director of Digital and Social Communications in the Department of Athletics. Both of Doug’s grandfathers were World War II veterans, and he has uncles on both sides of his family who served during the Vietnam War era.
Edna HoCo-Director
Edna joined Honor Flight Chicago as Director of Operations in 2018. In her role, Edna handles the organization’s internal systems, including overseeing all fundraising and volunteer efforts. She previously worked in media, local government and in non-profit, most recently with CASA of Cook County where she served as the Director of Development.
Board of Directors
John PtakPresident
John has worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years, with experience providing due diligence on public companies, private equity, and mid- to late-stage venture capital. He currently is a Principal at Gofen & Glossberg, a Chicago-based financial advisory firm. John graduated from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has passed the Certified Public Accountant examination. John is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago. Outside of the office, John enjoys spending time with his wife, son, and two daughters. John’s devotion to Honor Flight Chicago was inspired by his late grandfather, “Papa,” who proudly served in the Army during WWII.
Paul MeinckeVice President
Paul Meincke is a veteran broadcast journalist who retired from full-time work in September 2015 after 43 years in the TV news business – 30 of them as a general assignment reporter for Chicago’s ABC7 News. Paul’s assignments have taken him to Saudi Arabia where he spent six weeks covering the first Gulf War, and later to Belgrade where he reported on the release of three captured U.S. Servicemen. Paul has done numerous stories on Chicago area veterans including those who’ve been part of Honor Flight Chicago, and now he’s privileged to serve on the board.
Cyndi GreenglassSecretary
Cyndi Greenglass is a Senior Vice President at Diamond Communication Solutions where she provides leadership to nonprofits, helping them acquire, engage, and communicate with their constituents. Through the years, her efforts have helped raise millions of dollars in support of their causes. Cyndi is also an adjunct professor at WVU in the M.Sc. program for Data-driven Marketing Communications and is the 2018 recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award for the WVU Reed College of Media. She is a 3-time award winner for Women to Watch in Lead Generation and was recognized as one of 2017’s Most Fascinating Women in B2B Marketing. Cyndi is the proud daughter of a WWII veteran and feels privileged to help bring her passion for our veterans to Honor Flight Chicago as a board member.
Mary E. PettinatoCo-Founder & Treasurer
Mary Pettinato is the proud daughter of a WWII veteran. She began her volunteer career at age 14 as a Candy Striper at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Recognized as one of Chicago Tribune’s 2015 Remarkable Women, Mary’s volunteer efforts have ranged from serving those who have sacrificed much to defend our country, to lending her insights and energy to a number of volunteer boards in the Chicago community, including Old St. Patrick’s Church in the city’s West Loop. Mary holds a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and received the university’s prestigious Alumni Service to Society Award in 2014.
Alan Garfield
Alan is a partner with the Chicago law firm of Garfield & Merel, Ltd. His principal specialty is in the area of corporate transactions, banking and commercial real estate. Alan has served on and assisted various charitable foundations and boards along with being a member of and chairing various public commissions in his north shore suburb. Alan’s dedication to Honor Flight Chicago is to honor his father who served in the Army Air Force, Air Transport Ferry Command during WWII and never had the privilege of visiting the WWII Memorial and to honor those of his father’s generation who served and sacrificed.
Bonni Pear
Bonni Pear is one of Chicago’s best known and most highly respected public relations professionals, having represented high-profile clients including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney On Ice and Simon shopping properties in the country’s third largest media market for more than three decades. A principal in Miller-Pear Public Relations for 20-plus years, Bonni merged her agency in 2014 with one of the country’s fastest-growing communications firms, Motion PR, where she serves as Executive Vice President and Director of Entertainment & Lifestyle Brands. Bonni holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in advertising from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Captain Mark Meskimen, USN, Ret.
Mark is a Business Development Manager in the San Diego area for L3Harris. He handles the business development primarily in the DOD (Navy) area. Mark is a retired Naval Officer with more than 38 years of service in both enlisted and officer ranks. Throughout his career, he worked within the Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) field to include two command tours in Great Lakes, Il where he commanded the largest apprenticeship training facility with a daily onboard average of over 4,000 students. He has moved 16 times and been stationed all over the world at various ships and stations to include: England, Maine, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Illinois, Tennessee, Texas, California, Washington, Hawaii and Japan. As a third-generation military family, he is committed to supporting and honoring those who have served and takes pleasure in supporting Honor Flight Chicago. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his wife, three children and grandson.
Peter Richey
Peter has been a teacher in the Chicagoland area since 2008. Prior to teaching, he served in the US Navy from 1999-2005. In 2019, Peter became a founding member of the Honor Flight Chicago Operation Education team and now leads the initiative, which extends the HFC Day of Honor by partnering with schools to provide resources and build relationships between students and Honor Flight Chicago veteran alumni. Peter is a third generation service member: his grandfather served in World War II and his father served during Vietnam. He even proposed to his wife at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. Peter holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Illinois State University and master’s degrees from National Louis and Northern Illinois University. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife, also a teacher, and their two children.
Vince Wilson
Vince Wilson is a Marine Veteran who comes from a legacy of family veterans who served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Vince has spent his last 36 years as a voice networking engineer in the telecommunications industry. Half of his career was spent providing on-site support to city, county, and federal government customers in the DC area. Working in the DC area gave Vince the opportunity to embed himself into the Honor Flight program, providing support in any capacity needed including entertaining the veterans with dance. Vince also had the privilege of serving as a Floater, Guardian, or Tour Guide for multiple Honor Flight HUBs and eventually became a member of the DC Coordination Team intimately supporting Honor Flight Chicago’s itinerary season after season. Although Vince is retired now and has moved away from the DC area, he continues his support of the Honor Flight program and Honor Flight Chicago both remotely and in DC for years to come.