Missouri Veterans Commission Commissioners
The Missouri Veterans Commission shall be composed of nine members. Two members shall be members of the senate, one appointed by the president pro tem of the senate and one appointed by the senate minority floor leader, two members shall be members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one appointed by the house minority floor leader, and in appointing such members, preference shall be given to current or former members of the military and their spouses, parents, and children. Members appointed from the house of representatives and the senate shall be appointed for a two-year term or until a successor is appointed and may be reappointed to the commission. Five members, who shall be veterans appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, for a four-year term; except that initial appointments to the commission shall consist of two veterans to serve four-year terms, two veterans to serve three-year terms, and one veteran to serve a two-year term. In addition, the chair of the Missouri military preparedness and enhancement commission or the chair's designee shall be an ex officio member of the commission. For more information, please see Revised Statues of Missouri, Chapter 42.
Term: 3/14/2008 - 11/2/2011
John D. Comerford
Mr. Comerford was appointed to the Commission on March 14, 2008 by Governor Matt Blunt. Mr. Comerford served in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Flight Officer and Mission Commander onboard the EP-3E reconnaissance aircraft. He also served as Deputy Director and Watch Officer at the President’s Emergency Operations Center in the White House. Mr. Comerford now resides in St. Louis where he is an attorney at Dowd Bennett, LLP.
Member of the House of Representatives 1
Representative Barney Fisher
Representative Fisher serves District 125 and lives in Richards. He serves on the House Veterans Committee. He is a graduate of the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College and retired from the Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel after 21 years.
Term: 3/18/2009 - 11/2/2009
Emmett W. Fairfax
Mr. Fairfax previously served on the Commission from April 12, 2002 until November 2005 and reappointed by Governor Jay Nixon on March 18, 2009. Mr. Fairfax served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He previously served as Sheriff of Pettis County, Missouri, Special Investigator of Missouri State Senate, and United States Marshal for the Western District of Missouri. Mr. Fairfax is in real estate in Sedalia, Missouri.
Member of the House of Representatives 2
Representative Jason Kander
Representative Kander serves District 44 and lives in Kansas City. He enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2002, became an officer in the Army Reserve in 2005, volunteered for deployment and served in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007, and currently serves as a platoon trainer with the Missouri Army National Guard’s 140th Regional Training Institute’s Officer Candidate School.
Term: 3/18/2009 - 11/2/2013
Paul E. Connors
Mr. Connors was appointed by Governor Jay Nixon to serve on the Commission April 16, 2009 for a term ending March 17, 2013. Mr. Connors is a U.S. Air Force Veteran from Blue Springs, Missouri. He is the President of PCA Services Inc. in Blue Springs, and Accountants Support Services, Inc., also in Blue Springs.
Member of the Senate 2
Senator Victor Callahan
Senator Callahan serves District 11 and lives in Independence. He currently serves as the Minority Floor Leader in the Missouri Senate.
Term: 9/13/2010 to 11/2/2013
Scott C. Englund
Mr. Englund was appointed to the Missouri Veterans Commission on September 13, 2010 by Governor Jay Nixon to serve for a term ending November 2, 2013. Mr.Englund is a retired Major from the Missouri National Guard and a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr. Englund is also a member of the VFW and the American Legion. He currently resides in Jefferson City, MO where he is an Audit Manager with the US Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Inspector General/Office of Audit Services.
Member of the Senate 1
Senator David Pearce
Senator Pearce serves District 31 and lives in Warrensburg. He is a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and the Missouri Veterans Home – Warrensburg is in his district.
Term: 3/18/2009 to 11/2/2013
Nancy M. Nelson
Ms. Nelson was appointed to the Missouri Veterans Commission on March 18, 2009 by Governor Jay Nixon to serve for a term ending March 17, 2013. Ms. Nelson is a U.S. Navy Veteran from Imperial, Missouri. She is a member of the VFW and has held several Post, District, and State leadership positions. She is an analyst for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in their maritime branch. Ms. Nelson resides in Imperial, Missouri.