A Board’s Eye View
Richard Holm
Central Intelligence Agency (Retired), Author and QL+ Board Member
McLean, Virginia
March 2011
“QL+ gives a person capabilities they might not otherwise have.”
A long-time friend and former colleague of Jon Monett, the Founder and Chairman of QL+, Mr. Richard Holm is a famed CIA Operations Officer and recipient of the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA’s highest honor.
Mr. Holm has been with the Quality of Life Program since the organization was first established in the spring of 2009. He was invited to serve on the Board of Directors in order to share his expertise, to help oversee the organization’s administration, and to provide objectivity and balance. His own personal experiences allow him to voice the needs of other injured veterans.
“I’m a strong believer in the goal and mission of the QL+ effort,” Mr. Holm said. “I think it is very commendable and I’m happy to give the organization as much support as I can.”
The fact that QL+ helps individuals who may not receive specialized help elsewhere is what attracted Mr. Holm to the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Prostheses and assistive devices, engineered by student teams at the QL+ Lab at Cal Poly, are frequently customized to individual specifications. Students are encouraged to meet with Challengers and get to know their requirements, in an effort to engineer the best possible device to improve their everyday lives.
“Some QL+ projects have already been successful and that’s just the beginning,” stated Mr. Holm. “I think it’s absolutely commendable that Jon [Monett] would give back like he is doing. He did his service in the Air Force for many years and is now motivated to give back and help. I find that a superb quality in him.”
Mr. Holm is honored to be involved in an organization like Quality of Life Plus. “The military serves the country, and they deserve the best we can do to serve them in return.” In Mr. Holm’s opinion, QL+ fulfills that role.