Tony Leptien - President
Jon Gohn - Treasurer
Josh Wyatt - Secretary
Started by combat veterans, Tony Leptien, and Jon Gohn, Project 147 aims to assist veterans within our own communities. Anything from helping find affordable housing, helping between paychecks, our goal is to help fill a void on a more personal, community based level that others may overlook. The idea came to Tony and Jon when they looked around their own communities in Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota, and found that many basic needs of veterans aren't being met. Although there are some great organizations out there that have been around for decades, Tony and Jon are hoping to "pick up the pieces" where others may have failed or overlooked. To help fundraise for these veterans, a yearly calendar filled with humor will be produced and sold. Other items will include shirts, tumblers, can coozies, etc. Whenever possible, Project 147 will use veteran owned business for product. Tony and Jon both served in the 147th FA SDANG, which is where the inspiration came from for the organizations name, and have multiple combat tours to the Middle East under their belt. Jon is currently a member of the 196th RTI out of Sioux Falls, SD, is the Minnesota VFW Claims Director located in the Twin Cities, a loving husband to Tracy and father of two. Tony is a disabled veteran who was Honorably Discharged in 2009, and spends his day playing "Mr. Mom" to his beautiful daughter and wonderful wife, Amy. Tony and Jon also brought on Josh Wyatt to assist with this project. Josh, although not serving with the 147th, spent six years in the US Navy as an air traffic controller before he began his civilian life. Josh, a business analyst / project manager for a distribution company and his wife, Micaiah, currently live in the Twin cities with their five children.
