Members in the News

BRUCE MISAMORE

Houston member Bruce Misamore was the CFO for Yukos Oil Company, the largest oil company in Russia and 4th largest in the world at the time (2001-2005). If you want to understand the story behind the story of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, you might want to listen to “Putin’s Oil Heist”; a 6-part documentary podcast by Loren Steffy who interviews Bruce about Putin’s takeover of the company. While he retired from management at the end of 2005, Bruce’s retirement hobby has been seeking recompense from Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation for the theft of Russian’s largest oil company. Until 2015, Bruce led the legal efforts around the world for recovery which has resulted in over $80 billion in verdicts against Russia for the benefit of former YUKOS shareholders, despite nothing having been paid yet. Bruce still testifies against Russia in international court cases. You can find the podcast at stoneycreekpublishing. com/podcasts.

SUPREME LADY GAIL KAUTZ

Gail Kautz was elevated to Supreme Lady on April 9 at Ironstone Winery by order of the Grand Council of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine. This high honor was due to her long support of the Knights of the Vine as well as her many contributions to the world of wine. Marion Jensen of the Lodi Chapter kindly shared the following: Among Gail’s many accolades, she was the first woman Chairperson of the Board to serve at the California State Fair, Cal-Expo, in Sacramento, which hosts the California Commercial Wine Competition and where Gail was awarded the Golden Bear Award for Dedication to Service. In 1993, Governor Wilson appointed Gail to serve on the Commission “Improving Life Through Service”, which administers the AmeriCorps program in California.

She was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the California State Parks and Recreation Board, where she served as Vice Chairman. In 2005 she helped re-write the State Recreation Plan. She was later reappointed by Governor Schwarzenegger and Governor Brown. In 2005 she received the “Golden Poppy” Award from the California State Park Foundation, which honors a person that “makes a significant contribution and commitment to protecting, enhancing and/or advocating for California’s State Parks.” In 2011 she joined the Board of Directors of the California State Park Foundation which was engaged in raising funds to help keep California’s State Parks open.

Gail was the recipient of the Lodi 1998 Agricultural Person of the Year, inducted into the San Joaquin County Hall of Fame in 2012, and received the California Farm Bureau Bountiful Award in 2013.

Congratulations Gail!

SUPREME KNIGHTS

Don and Carol Bade, both of whom have recently retired from the National Office after many years of dedication and service to KOV, were recently nominated and unanimously approved by the Grand Council to be elevated to SUPREME KNIGHTS!