Vet News: Bob McDonald, Former VA Secretary and P&G CEO, Joins Boulder Crest

BLUEMONT, Va., Aug. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boulder Crest, a pioneering nonprofit focused on cultivating and facilitating post-traumatic growth amongst combat veterans and family members struggling with PTSD and/or combat stress, announces the addition of Former VA Secretary Bob McDonald to its Honorary Board.

"Secretary McDonald is a visionary leader who has made a substantial contribution to the health and well-being of veterans throughout his life, and particularly during his tenure as Secretary of Veterans Affairs," says Ken Falke, chairman and founder of Boulder Crest.  "We are humbled by his continued commitment to his fellow veterans, and look forward to benefiting from his vast experience on subjects of great importance to our organization."

McDonald took over the VA in 2014 at a time of crisis for the second largest government agency and quickly made customer service and improved outcomes his focus. He launched the MyVA initiative, which recruited leaders from a wide variety of industries to streamline and improve VA's processes and services. Harvard Business School highlighted the effort in a 2016 case study that recognized his efforts as achieving "impressive progress."

As CEO of Procter & Gamble from 2009-2013, McDonald transformed the organization's leadership culture, earning the company repeated recognition as "the best company for developing leader talent." In parallel, he led his team to scale by adding nearly one billion consumers and multiplying the organization's stock price.

Before he was a corporate and government leader, McDonald was an Army officer. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1975 as an Infantry Officer. He graduated from Ranger and Airborne schools and served in the 82nd Airborne Division before leaving the Army as a Captain.

"Working with the team at the VA gave me an incredible opportunity to help improve the lives of those who served and transitioned like I did. I'm proud of the progress we made," McDonald said. "Looking ahead, I'm eager to support the innovation at Boulder Crest, especially with their innovative post-traumatic growth based programs for those struggling with PTSD and combat stress."

Secretary McDonald joins the Honorary Board alongside former Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, former Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman, former Secretary of the Air Force, Michael W. Wynne, two former Chairman's of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General (retired) Henry 'Hugh' Shelton, USA, General (retired) Peter Pace, USMC, Admiral (retired) William Fallon, USN, General (retired) Norton Schwartz, Admiral (retired) Eric Olson, USN, Captain (retired) Charlie Plumb, USN, former NFL star and Vietnam veteran, Rocky Bleier, and Medal of Honor recipient and Master Sergeant (retired) Leroy Petry, USA.

ABOUT BOULDER CREST RETREAT

Boulder Crest is an innovative nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the physical, emotional, spiritual, and economic well-being of our nation's combat veterans, family members, and first responders. Our programs are based on the decades-old science of posttraumatic growth and ensure that these remarkable heroes have the opportunity to succeed in their new mission – a life of passion, purpose, and service – here at home.

Boulder Crest owns and operates privately-funded wellness centers – Boulder Crest Retreat Virginia is a 37-acre facility located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bluemont, Virginia, just 50 miles west of Washington, D.C.; and Boulder Crest Retreat Arizona is a 130-acre ranch located just 45 minutes south of Tucson, Arizona in Sonoita. Boulder Crest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is entirely funded through private donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. For more information about Boulder Crest, please visit http://www.bouldercrestretreat.org.