Coast Guard Foundation welcomes newest Board of Trustees members
The Coast Guard Foundation welcomes six new trustees to its board this year, bringing the total number of active trustees and directors to 80. Charlotte Hobaugh Gentry, Jim Losi, John Peacock, William Thiele, Delbert “Del” Wilkins, and Christina Calhoun Zubowicz will each serve three-year terms. The board is led by Chairman Thomas A. Allegretti.
The new board members have backgrounds in business, industry and government service, and will play a key role in guiding the Foundation’s work to support Coast Guard members and their families.
“We welcome these outstanding individuals to our Board of Trustees,” said Susan Ludwig, president of the Coast Guard Foundation. “Their support will be important as we continue to expand our programs and reach even more Coast Guard members and their families.”
Charlotte Hobaugh Gentry is a financial professional with over a decade in public service for the State of Tennessee. She holds a master’s in business administration from Tennessee Technological University and dual bachelor’s degrees in computer science and German from Michigan State University. A LEAD TN graduate and active member of numerous professional organizations, she is recognized for her leadership, mentorship, and community involvement. Gentry grew up in a Coast Guard family with her father, Capt. Jimmie Hobaugh, who served for 37 years.
Jim Losi‘s career spans financial services, philanthropy, higher education, and international development. Currently, he serves as the Commodore of District 11 Northern Region in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. As the founder of Service Learning International and the Kundebana Foundation, he has raised significant support for global education and relief initiatives. He is also the founder of Rwanda Opportunity Fund, which funds emerging entrepreneurial businesses in Central Eastern Africa. Losi holds master’s degrees in political science and international studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from Pace University. He lives in California.
Capt. John Peacock is the vice president of logistics at Par Hawaii and brings over 35 years of experience in the maritime industry. His distinguished career includes serving as a Merchant Mariner with Exxon Shipping Company, where he earned his USCG Unlimited Captain’s License, as well as roles as a marine surveyor, college professor, port captain, and marine terminal operations. A graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Peacock holds an MBA from Norwich University and a PMP certification. He has been married for 33 years and is a proud father of three successful grown children.
William Thiele is a retired insurance executive who has served in leadership roles in several major companies. An avid boater since age 16, he splits his time between homes in Greenville, South Carolina, and Old Saybrook, Connecticut, and is a member of both the New York Yacht Club and the Milford Yacht Club. Thiele serves as a trustee of the South St. Seaport Museum and is on the board of directors at the Queens College Foundation. He is a long-standing supporter of the Coast Guard Foundation scholarship program.
Delbert “Del” Wilkins is the vice president of northern operations at Canal Barge Company and president of Illinois Marine Towing. Prior to joining Canal Barge, he held executive leadership roles in other maritime transportation companies. He serves on the board of directors and executive committee of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Wilkins has received several industry accolades, including the Seaman’s Church Institute’s River Bell Award for outstanding commitment to the inland maritime community and the Illinois River Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of outstanding contributions in the Chicago-area marine industry. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Northwestern University’s Transportation Center.
Christina Calhoun Zubowicz is the granddaughter of Charles L. Calhoun, the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, and serves as the ship sponsor for the Coast Guard Cutter Calhoun. She is the administrative officer at a surgery center and runs a consulting practice, Magnolia Planning, where she assists Atlanta-area doctors and medical spas manage their practices. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in psychology from the University of West Georgia. Zubowicz is an active community leader as a member of the Milton Business Council, Milton Historical Society, North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR.)
