Memoriam
Mark Lawrance
Mark serves in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry in 1969 in the infantry as a “tunnel rat”! Since then, he has given a lifetime of dedication serving veterans including twenty- five years volunteering with VA, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Military Order of the Purple Heart.
He is now retired from NASA/Johnson Space Center in Houston after 28 years as a Senior Systems Scientist with IBM, Computer Science Corporation, Boeing Information Systems, and UnIted Space Alliance. He graduated from SIU-Carbondale, IUPUI-Indianapolis, and Purdue University with advanced studies in Computer Science.
Mark now lives in Rockford, Illinois, with his registered PTSD Service Dog, Ch. Glacierridge Kahuna III, “Katie”.
Paul Brian
An alumnus of Drake University, Paul enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the Southern Command as an information specialist in the Panama Canal Zone, followed by the duty with the ⅗, 193d INfantry Brigade (Airborne).
Post-service Paul’s talents were displayed as a program host on legendary Chicago radio stations WGN and WLS, and then on to the management team for the INdy Car efforts of Italian auto manufacturer ALfa Romeo based in Milan, Italy. For two decades he served as spokesman and Director of Communications and Marketing for the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, best known for producing the annual Chicago Auto SHow at McCormick Place.
He remains active as an internationally known automotive journalist, industry expert and commentator. A two-time Midwest Emmy Awards recipient, he was selected to be a jury member of the prestigious North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Awards (NACTOY).
