JD graduated Utah State University with a B.S. in Wildlife Management. He holds a Masters in Asian History from the University of the Philippines. Served 24 years in the USAF as a C-130 Navigator and Special Operations planner. After retirement He taught at the Joint Special Operations University, created the on boarding education course for the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Later JD achieved Black Belt in Six Sigma process analysis and put it to use making HQ JSOC more efficient and effective. When not consulting, he renovates homes for his wife Annie’s rental business, repairs furniture for Annie’s Rosewood store, inspects homes for Annie’s real estate clients, and occasionally plays receptionist at Vale Massage, her massage therapy spa. Mondays and Fridays you’ll find him blissfully working their 88 acre forest and olive farm. Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings are dedicated to worship and study of Jesus at Crosspoint Niceville. JD joined Kiwanis in 2017 and loves to serve.

Photo and Bio coming soon

Vern graduated June 1968 from the United States Air Force Academy and after a year in flight school, served two combat tours in Viet Nam. After 6 years flying B-52 bombers and three years on the staff at the Air Force Academy (Director of glider/soaring program; aero engineering instructor), Vern left active duty in 1980 and joined the Boeing Company in Wichita, Kansas as a systems engineer, eventually leading the navigation/weapon delivery group for the B-52 digital upgrade. Mid 1986, he left Boeing for an engineering support position with Sverdrup Technology's Eglin Air Force Base contract, spending the next 36 years as an aircraft/weapons integration engineer. Vern joined the Kiwanis Club of Niceville/Valparaiso in 1992 and has served three terms as president and many years as Community Services chair. He has also been a Junior Achievement instructor, credentialed Florida Baptist Disaster Relief team member, a life member of the military Order of Daedalians pilot fraternity, president of the Niceville HS band booster club, and a Life Group leader at the Church on Bayshore. Vern and Marilyn were married in April 1969 while he was in flight school. They have a son, two daughters and five grandchildren. Vern is a golfer, ham radio operator, and shade tree mechanic (drives a restored Triumph TR-4). He and Marilyn enjoy golfing, cruising, visiting kids/grandkids and spending time at their Lake Martin, Alabama lake house.

Randy spent 33 years in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Colonel in 2013. His final assignment was as the Chief, Budget Integration Division, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Pentagon, Washington, DC. where he oversaw the justification for, distribution and execution of the Air Force's $46 billion annual operating budget .Since retiring from the Air Force, Randy has been the CFO of two separate Community Colleges, including Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. He has a bachelor's degree in computer information systems and a master's degree in operations management. He is married to Maria Earnhardt White and they have two children and two grandsons. Randy and Maria attend Crosspoint Church, and they are involved with many charitable organizations, including the Destin Charity Wine Auction, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Kiwanis, Impact 100, and others. Their hobbies include food, wine, and travel, and are very interested in making their community a better place for everyone.

Bo Arnold graduated from the University of California, Davis with a BS and MS in mechanical engineering and from the University of Southern California with a PhD in electrical engineering. He also obtained an MBA from the University of West Florida. Dr Arnold retired after a 42 year career, mostly as an engineering executive with Jacobs Solutions supporting the Air Force, Navy, NASA and the Department of Energy. He spent 16 years supporting guided weapons development programs at Eglin Air Force Base. He first joined Niceville-Valparaiso Kiwanis in 1990? His other local community service includes mentoring for Big Brothers and Take Stock in Children, chairman of the boards of directors for Children in Crisis and the Northwest Florida State College Foundation, and serving on various advisory boards. He has been married to Charlotte since 1970 and she is also a Kiwanian. They have two sons and one grandson.

Photo coming soon

Photo and Bio coming soon

Photo and Bio coming soon

 Charlie Helms graduated from Waynesburg College (Pennsylvania) with a B.S. in Chemistry and went on to earn his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Washington State University in 1988. Charlie completed a Post-doctoral fellowship at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory (AFWL) in Albuquerque, NM and subsequently joined the civil service. His work at AFWL focused on development of high-power chemical oxygen-iodine lasers. After 12 years at Kirtland Air Force Base, Charlie and his family moved to the Eglin area where he worked as a directed energy subject matter expert and provided general engineering support to a number of Air Force acquisition programs. Charlie retired from the Air Force in 2020 after a 30-year career. Charlie is married to Peggy Helms and they have 3 children. Charlie’s interests include home building/remodeling, woodworking, cycling, sailing, golfing, and playing the clarinet. Charlie joined the Niceville-Valparaiso Kiwanis club in 2023. He has also been very active in the local scouting community, serving as a Cubmaster, Troop treasurer, and adult leader on high-adventure trips.