Ponte Vedra, FL - State Funeral for World War II Veterans is pleased to announce Mr. Chris Reed, Principal at Shepard Capital Partners, of Tampa, FL was appointed Chairman for the State of Florida. Last Labor Day, State Funeral for World War II Veterans launched a nationwide petition drive to convince the President of the United States to designate a state funeral in Washington D.C. for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Today over 7,000 petitions have been signed and the non-profit organization is organized in more than 26 states. This single state funeral would provide special recognition and serve as a final salute to the 16 million men and women who served in our armed forces from 1941 to 1945. Mr. Reed began his career in technology, working for both Accenture and Bank of America. In addition, he was a partner and founder of both Catalina Human Resources, Inc. and Rapid Wave, Inc. He received his Finance degree from Emory University and is a resident of Ponte Vedra, Florida outside of Jacksonville, where he lives with his wife and two sons. He is from a successful family with a long history of volunteerism and military service. In total, 464 Medals of Honor were awarded to World War II servicemen. Only four of these recipients are living today. They are Hershel “Woody” Williams, U.S. Marine Corp Corporal of West Virginia; Charles Coolidge, U.S. Army Technical Sergeant of Tennessee; Robert D. Maxwell, U.S. Army Technician Fifth Grade of Oregon; and Francis S. Currey, U.S. Army Private First Class of New York. Mr. Reed traveled with Woody Williams to Iwo Jima in March for the 73rd anniversary of the victory. During an interview with State Funeral for World War II Veterans, Woody Williams said, “The idea of a state funeral for the last of us to go is great. The nation needs this. It brings recognition to all 16 millions of us who wore the uniform. A state funeral is part of our nation's history that can never be erased.” “The United States has held many state funerals for Generals and President’s, but never one for an enlisted man,” said Bill McNutt, Co-Founder and Chairman. “We are working hard all across the country with successful businessmen and innovative thinkers like Chris Reed to make this state funeral a reality.” One of Reed’s most successful business endeavors is Iron Data, Inc., a company that provides proprietary data processing software systems through the use of their Intelligent Process Management framework. During his tenure at Iron Data, Mr. Reed engineered buy and sell transactions valued at over $220 million, including the majority sale of Iron Data to Arlington Capital Partners in early 2011. Florida produced six World War II Medal of Honor recipients, including Second Lieutenant Femoyer, Robert E. Jacksonville for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Mercersburg, Germany on 2 November 1944. About State Funeral for World War II Veterans State Funeral for World War II Veterans exists to convince the President of the United States to designate a single state funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, as a final salute to the 16 million men and women of the Greatest Generation who served in our armed forces from 1941 to 1945. For more information on how to join us in this mission please visit www.worldwar2salute.org.