Meet the Team
We're a close-knit team at AAFMAA and our team members have a wide range of experience, knowledge, and specialties. We encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions.
Senior Management
CMSgt Brady Gruler, USAF, Ret.
Vice President for Insurance
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Jim Malley, CPA
Executive VP and COO
AAFMAA Financial Advisors
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Richard Convy, CPA, CFA
President, AAFMAA Wealth
Management & Trust
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Bonnie Humphrey
Executive VP and Senior Trust Officer AAFMAA Wealth Management & Trust
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Board of Directors*
*As of 8/10/2012
AAFMAA Board of Directors
Donald M. Babers, LTG, USA, Ret., Chair
Jack N. Merritt, GEN, USA, Ret., Vice Chair, Chair-Finance Committee
Joseph E. DeFrancisco, LTG, USA, Ret.
James P. Gerstenlauer, COL, USA, Ret.
George T. Greiling, LTC, USA, Ret.
Mack C. Hill, BG, USA, Ret.
George L. Horvath III, CSM, USA, Ret.
Walter R. Lincoln, MAJ, USA, Ret., CFP®
Lewis E. Monroe, CMSgt, USA, Ret.
Dennis D. Porter, COL, USA, Ret.
Wilson A. (Bud) Shatzer, COL, USA, Ret.
William J. Lennox, Jr., LTG, USA, Ret., Chairman-Membership Committee
John T. Ridge, CMSgt, USAF, Ret.
John A. Shaud, Gen, USAF, Ret.
Donald W. Shepperd, Maj Gen, USAF, Ret.
Robert L. Smolen, Maj Gen, USAF, Ret.
Elisabeth J. Strines, Col, USAF, Ret.
AAFMAA Financial Advisors Board of Directors
William J. Lennox, Jr, LTG, USA, Ret., Chair
Donald M. Babers, LTG, USA, Ret.
Joseph E. DeFrancisco, LTG, USA, Ret.
George L. Horvath III, CSM, USA, Ret.
Walter R. Lincoln, MAJ, USA, Ret., CFP®
Jack N. Merritt, GEN, USA, Ret.
Lewis E. Monroe, CMSgt, USAF, Ret.
John A. Shaud, Gen, USAF, Ret.
Donald W. Shepperd, Maj Gen, USAF, Ret.
Elisabeth J. Strines, Col, USAF, Ret.
AAFMAA Wealth Management & Trust Board of Managers
Richard J. Convy, CPA, CFA
Walter R. Lincoln, MAJ, USA, Ret., CFP®
Jack N. Merritt, GEN, USA, Ret.
John A. Sargent
Robert W. Sennewald, GEN, USA, Ret.
John E. Severson, CFA, LTC, USA Ret.
Walt Lincoln, CFP® - President and Treasurer – AAFMAA
Walt joined the staff of AAFMAA in 1992. As President and Treasurer, Walt oversees all aspects of the Association and supervises the management of over $1 Billion of AAFMAA investments.
Walt is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, where he concentrated in economics. He earned his Master’s degree from the Cornell University Graduate School of Management where he studied finance, taxation, and business law.
Walt originated and taught the personal finance course at West Point and has been a prolific writer in the personal finance arena with over 15 articles published, in addition to two books on taxation and finance. Military assignments as an Army Comptroller included USMA Budget Office, 5th Infantry Division Comptroller, FORSCOM Budget Fiscal Officer and numerous Pentagon positions within the ASA(FM). Walt retired from the United States Army as a Major.
Tiana Fallavollita - Assistant to the President – AAFMAA
Tiana joined AAFMAA’s Executive Staff in 2004 as Assistant to the President. In addition to her work on policy issues and coordination with the Board of Directors, she also leads the Human Resources team at AAFMAA. Tiana earned her Bachelor’s degree in Management, with a minor in Spanish, from Gettysburg College.
Lisa Milman - Vice President for Marketing and Sales – AAFMAA
Lisa joined AAFMAA in 2000 working on human resources and policy issues as part of the Executive Staff. She took on the responsibilities of Vice President for Marketing and Sales in July 2003. Under her leadership, the AAFMAA Membership and Insurance Sales team has grown and achieved sales successes year after year. Prior to joining AAFMAA, Lisa worked at Allegiance Healthcare/Cardinal Health and The Museum Company. Lisa earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University. She has over 17 years of sales and management experience.
Bonnie Humphrey - Executive VP & Senior Trust Officer – AAFMAA Wealth Management & Trust
As EVP and Senior Trust Officer of AWM&TC, Bonnie is responsible for all activities and initiatives relating to the provision of fiduciary services. She ensures that all client interactions with the trust services group meet fiduciary standards. Bonnie oversees all business relationships with clients and assists in the new business development efforts. She is also responsible for all client deliverables, including financial planning and trust services.
Bonnie brings almost 30 of years of trust and fiduciary management experience to AWM&TC. Her experience includes private practice as a trust & estate attorney. As a senior wealth planning strategist, she worked to develop and implement complex financial planning strategies for clients at Wells Fargo Private Bank as well as HSBC, Citibank, and U.S. Trust.
Bonnie began her career as an officer with the U.S. Navy. Bonnie graduated from Connecticut College with a BA degree in History and from Columbia University with a MA in Education. She obtained her JD degree from the University of Miami.
Richard Convy - President – AAFMAA Wealth Management & Trust
As President of AAFMAA Wealth Management & Trust Company (AWM&TC), Richard is responsible for the overall operations of AWM&TC. Richard plans and directs all aspects of the policies, practices, and procedures that affect the trust operations, investment operations and support services. He facilitates communications between all functional areas of AWM&TC. Richard leads and directs the work of the other officers and staff and uses his extensive experience to drive long-term strategic initiatives of AWM&TC.
Richard brings 38 years of trust management experience to AWM&TC. His experience includes serving as a high net worth investment manager at PNC Bank as well as Bank of America. Richard served as Director of the Portfolio Management Group at Riggs Bank where he was responsible for all investment related activities.
Richard began his career as a securities examiner with the NASD on Wall Street. Richard graduated from Hofstra University with a BBA degree in accounting and from George Washington University with a MBA degree in Finance. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designations.
Brady Gruler, FLMI - Vice President for Insurance – AAFMAA Life Insurance
Brady joined the staff of AAFMAA in 1995 after retiring from the United States Air Force as a Chief Master Sergeant. He has served AAFMAA members as a Member Counselor and the Manager of Insurance Operations. Brady became the Vice President for Insurance in 2001.
Enlisting in the Air Force in 1971, Brady held various transportation positions. He also spent 6 years with Air Force Recruiting in New York and Texas. From 1981 until 1992 Brady was stationed in Germany. His last assignment was as the 17th Air Force Deputy Director of Transportation, Sembach Air Base. In 1992, he was assigned to the Pentagon as the Chief Enlisted Manager, Strategic Mobility Readiness Division.
Brady earned an Associate’s degree in Logistics Management from the Community College of the Air Force and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Strayer College. Brady achieved his FLMI (Felllow Life Management Institute) designation in 2006.
Tom Hargis - Secretary – AAFMAA
Tom joined AAFMAA in 2000 as the Association’s Secretary. He has over forty years of diversified financial management and leadership experience in the Department of Defense (DoD) and private industry. His extensive experience in financial management, analysis and policy development; financial systems design, migration analysis, and fielding; cost-benefit analysis: internal controls; and business process re-engineering have been a tremendous asset to controlling AAFMAA’s costs for the membership. Tom was an Army Finance Officer and in addition, he served as a program and budget officer/analyst at various levels, including Department of the Army headquarters, and as comptroller/director of resource management at the installation level.
Tom retired from the Army in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He holds a B.A. from Ouachita Baptist University and an MBA from Marymount University. He is also a Certified Government Financial Manager.
Ross Cutler - Assistant to the Secretary - AAFMAA
Ross joined AAFMAA as Assistant to the Secretary in 2011. He assists with overall coordination of the AAFMAA membership and directs the planning and implementation of operational controls and procedures within AAFMAA. Additionally, he oversees facility and IT requirements in order to maintain operational continuity.
Ross began his career as a commercial manager with Overseas Shipping Group. He is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy with a BS in Logistics and Intermodal Transportation and is currently in the United States Navy Reserve.
Jim Malley – Executive VP & COO – AAFMAA Financial Advisors
Jim joined AAFMAA in 2010 as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of AAFMAA Financial Advisors. In this role, Jim leads a team of talented and dedicated professionals to deliver AAFMAA’s hallmark services to our members and their surviving families. Prior to joining AAFMAA, Jim was VP of Customer Operations at Software AG where he managed the U.S. Sales and Business Management teams. Additionally, Jim has held Controller positions at GTE and Lockheed Martin. He began his career at Price Waterhouse after graduating from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Accounting and an MBA. Jim is also a CPA.
Merilynn Bergstresser, CPA - Controller - AAFMAA
Merilynn joined the AAFMAA staff in 2006. As AAFMAA Life Insurance Controller, Merilynn is responsible for all financial activities of AAFMAA to include overseeing the Financial Management Department, proper processing of all business transactions, accurate reporting, and future planning. Merilynn brings almost 30 years of business and military experience to AAFMAA. As an Air Force officer, Merilynn held various command and staff responsibilities within Headquarters USAF and Air Force Communications Command. She holds the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.
Steve Mannell, CFO - AAFMAA Wealth Management and Trust
As Chief Financial Officer, Steve is responsible for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial and back-office activities of AWM&TC. He directs all accounting, finance, forecasting, property management, regulatory and tax reporting activities and ensures effective implementation of internal controls.
Steve brings 24 years of business and military experience to AWM&TC. His experience includes holding the CFO position at a defense contractor and over twenty years of military experience. While in the military, Steve held various command and staff responsibilities with U.S. Army Special Forces, retiring as the Chief of Plans and Operations at U.S. Army Special Forces Command.
Steve graduated from West Point with a BS in Economics, from the Harvard Kennedy School with a Master in Public Policy concentrating on international security and political economy, and from Duke University with a MBA.