Ronne Froman

Last updated
Veronica Zasadni ("Ronne") Froman-Blue [1]
Rear Admiral (lower half) Veronica Z. Froman, USN.jpg
Rear Admiral Froman in 1995
Nickname(s)Ronne
Born1947 (age 75–76)
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1970–2001
Rank Rear admiral
Commands heldU.S. Navy Region Southwest
Awards Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Other workChief Operating Officer, city of San Diego

Veronica Froman-Blue, better known by her maiden name Veronica "Ronne" Froman (RADM, USN, Ret.), is an American retired naval officer. She was the first woman to serve as commander of the United States Navy Region Southwest, a position known as the "Navy Mayor of San Diego". She retired from the Navy in 2001 with the rank of rear admiral, after a 31-year career.

Contents

Following her retirement she took on several high-profile civilian positions in San Diego, California: chief of business operations for the San Diego Unified School District; CEO of the local chapter of the American Red Cross; and the first Chief Operating Officer for the city of San Diego. She is a strong supporter of the Monarch School, a public school for homeless youth; she is the past CEO and chairman of the school's board of directors and still serves on the board.

Military career

Froman was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Seton Hill College. [2] She received a Navy commission in 1970 as a General Unrestricted Line Officer. When she retired in 2001 as a rear admiral (two-star admiral), she was one of the highest-ranking female officers in the Navy. [3] During her military career the role of women in the Navy was greatly expanded. "When I joined, we (women) couldn't go to sea; we didn't have command; there were no lady admirals", she said in 2009. "It kind of evolved over the years I was in the Navy." [3]

Her assignments during her 31-year career included commanding the Navy's Southwest Region from 1997 until 2000. She was the first woman to hold that position. [4] The command supports Navy shore installations in six western states and is headquartered in San Diego. [5] The commander of the Southwest Region is often referred to as the "Navy Mayor of San Diego". [6] At the time the Southwest Region employed approximately 86,000 sailors and 35,000 civilians. There were 56 ships, five submarines and 600 aircraft home-ported in the region. [7]

She also served two high-level assignments at the Pentagon, including Director of Shore Readiness for the Chief of Naval Operations from 2000 to 2001. During her time on active duty she received the U.S. Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the United States Navy Distinguished Service Medal. [8]

Civilian career

Following her retirement from the Navy she settled in San Diego. She served as chief of business operations for the San Diego Unified School District from 2001 till 2003. She is credited with trimming millions of dollars from district business operations during that time. [9]

In 2003 she became CEO of the San Diego–Imperial Counties chapter of the American Red Cross. She was recruited to that position by chapter chairman Jerry Sanders to restore the unit's reputation and credibility. The chapter had come under heavy criticism because of controversy over the use of funds donated for the relief of victims of a 2001 wildfire. [10] [11] She instituted changes in accountability and transparency which earned praise when the region was again struck by fire in 2003. [12]

In 2005 Sanders ran for mayor of San Diego in a special election, promising that if elected he would appoint Froman as his second-in-command. [13] When he took office in January 2006 he appointed her as the first-ever Chief Operating Officer of the city, with functions similar to a city manager. [14] She resigned in June 2007 and took a position as senior vice president for the energy group of General Atomics. [15]

She has had a longtime interest in homeless issues and particularly in the Monarch School, a public K-12 school for students who are at risk or actually impacted by homelessness. She served on the school project's board of directors since 2004 and served as interim vice president of the public-private partnership. In July 2011 she took over as CEO of the nonprofit organization. [16] [17] In January 2012 she became chairman of the organization's board of directors. [18]

Since 2010 she has been the CEO and chair of REBOOT, a program to help military veterans transition to civilian life. [19] She has several times served as the honorary chair of San Diego Fleet Week. [1]

Personal life

She is married to Linden Blue, co-owner of General Atomics. [19]

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Peleliu</i>

USS Peleliu (LHA-5) is a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy, named for the Battle of Peleliu of World War II. Entering service in 1980, she has been deployed to the Persian Gulf on several occasions, performed an evacuation of U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, operated with the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce, participated in Pacific Partnership deployments, and provided assistance following the massive floods in Pakistan in 2010. She was decommissioned in San Diego, California on 31 March 2015. She currently rests, out of commission and in reserve, at NAVSEA Inactive Ships On-site Maintenance Office, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii alongside USS Tarawa in the inactive reserve in case of further need.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chester W. Nimitz</span> United States Navy fleet admiral (1885–1966)

Chester William Nimitz was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy. He played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, commanding Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronado, California</span> City in California, United States

Coronado is a resort city located in San Diego County, California, United States, across the San Diego Bay from downtown San Diego. It was founded in the 1880s and incorporated in 1890. Its population was 20,192 in 2020, down from 24,697 in 2010.

USS <i>Mustin</i> (DDG-89) US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Mustin (DDG-89) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named in honor of the Mustin family who has devoted over a century of US Naval service. This ship is the 39th destroyer of her class. Mustin was the 18th ship of this class to be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and construction began on 15 January 2001. She was launched on 12 December 2001 and was christened on 15 December 2001. On 26 July 2003, a twilight commissioning ceremony was held at the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Sanders (politician)</span> American politician and law enforcement officer

Gerald Robert "Jerry" Sanders is a former American politician and law enforcement officer from San Diego, California. He served as the 34th mayor of San Diego and was Chief of Police. As of December 2012, he is the president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

USS <i>Spruance</i> (DDG-111)

USS Spruance (DDG-111) is a United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. She is the 61st ship in her class. Spruance is the second ship to be named for Admiral Raymond A. Spruance (1886–1969), who commanded American naval forces at the Battles of Midway and the Philippine Sea. He was later Ambassador to the Philippines. Her keel was laid down on 14 May 2009. She was christened by the admiral's granddaughter, Ellen Spruance Holscher, on 5 June 2010 in Bath, Maine at Bath Iron Works, where the ship was built at a cost of $1 billion. The completed ship left Bath on 1 September 2011 for her commissioning in Key West, Florida on 1 October 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Byerly</span> US Navy officer (1944–2020)

Kathleen Mae Bruyere was a captain in the United States Navy. She was one of the twelve women named by Time magazine as Time Person of the Year in 1975, representing American women. In May 1975, she became the first female officer in the Navy to serve as the flag secretary to an admiral commanding an operational staff. In 1977, Byerly was one of six officers who sued the United States Secretary of the Navy and the United States Secretary of Defense over their being restricted from serving on combat aircraft and ships. This led to the 1948 Women's Armed Services Integration Act being struck down as unconstitutional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Bruzek-Kohler</span>

Rear Admiral Christine M. Bruzek-Kohler was the 21st Director of the United States Navy Nurse Corps, and served as the Commander Naval Medical Center San Diego and Navy Medicine West from May 2009 to August 2010. She officially retired from the Navy in December 2010.

Hispanics in the United States Navy can trace their tradition of naval military service to men such as Lieutenant Jordi Farragut Mesquida, who served in the American Revolution. Hispanics, such as Seaman Philip Bazaar and Seaman John Ortega, have distinguished themselves in combat and have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration of the United States. Hispanics have also reached the top ranks of the navy, serving their country in sensitive leadership positions on domestic and foreign shores. Among those who have reached the highest ranks in the navy are Commodore Uriah Phillips Levy, of Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewish descent, who participated in the War of 1812 as an assistant Sailing master; Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, for whom the rank of admiral in the U.S. Navy was created during the American Civil War; and Admiral Horacio Rivero, who led the navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Gloria</span> American politician from California

Todd Rex Gloria is an American politician serving as the 37th and current mayor of San Diego since 2020. As mayor, he is the chief executive officer in the city of San Diego. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the first person of color and the first openly gay person to serve as San Diego's mayor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marsha J. Evans</span> United States admiral

Marsha Johnson "Marty" Evans is a retired rear admiral in the United States Navy. Following her retirement from the Navy, she served as executive director of the Girl Scouts of the USA from 1998 to 2002, and president and CEO of the American Red Cross from 2002 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nora W. Tyson</span>

Nora Wingfield Tyson is a retired United States Navy vice admiral. In 2015, she was installed as commander of the Third Fleet, making her the first woman to lead a United States Navy ship fleet. She retired from service in 2017. Tyson previously served as the commander of Carrier Strike Group Two, from July 29, 2010 to January 12, 2012; she was the first female commander of a United States Navy Carrier Strike Group. She then served as Vice Director of the Joint Staff beginning in February 2012. In July 2013 she was promoted to vice admiral and named as Deputy Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Young (politician)</span>

Tony Young is an American politician. He was the president of the city council of San Diego, California and served as a member of the council from 2005 to 2013, representing District 4. He is a Democrat, although the position is officially nonpartisan per California state law.

Monarch School is a public K-12 school in San Diego, California, which is exclusively for students who are homeless, at risk of being homeless, or impacted by homelessness. It was founded in 1988. At that time it was the only such school in the United States. As of 2021 it is still largest and most comprehensive K-12 program for homeless students in the U.S. The school enrolls approximately 350 students ranging in age from 4 to 19. Monarch is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and aligned with Common Core Standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna L. Crisp</span>

Donna Lynn Chesus Crisp is a retired two-star rear admiral, having served over 30 years in the United States Navy.

Monica Montgomery Steppe is an American politician in San Diego, California. She currently serves as a member of the San Diego City Council representing City Council District 4. She is a Democrat, although city council positions are officially nonpartisan per California state law. She serves on the board of the California Reparations Task Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Martin</span>

Jeffrey Walker Martin is the chairman and chief executive officer of Sempra, an energy infrastructure company based in San Diego, California. Sempra develops and owns energy transmission and distribution infrastructure with a focus on leading markets in North America, including California, Texas, Mexico and the liquefied natural gas export market. The company has 20,000 employees and serves roughly 40 million consumers – serving more U.S. customers than any other U.S. utility holding company. 

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen D. Barnett</span> US Navy officer (born c. 1969)

Stephen D. Barnett is an active duty United States Navy officer and career naval flight officer who serves as the commander of Navy Region Hawaii since June 17, 2022. He most recently served as commander of Navy Region Southwest from July 16, 2021 to May 23, 2022, and before that as commander, Navy Region Northwest from March 2021 to June 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bette Bolivar</span> Retired U.S. Navy admiral

Babette Rose Bolivar is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who last served as the commander of Navy Region Southwest from March 14, 2019 to July 16, 2021. She was the second woman and first Filipino-American to command the navy region, which covers California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Bauernschmidt</span> United States Navy officer

Amy N. Bauernschmidt is a United States Navy officer. She is the first woman to serve as the executive officer and then as the commanding officer of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. Bauernschmidt assumed command of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on 19 August 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 "San Diego Business Leader Ronne Froman-Blue Accepts Chair of Fleet Week San Diego 2013". PRNewswire. Yahoo! News. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Governor Rendell, First Lady Recognize Eight Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania". Reuters. October 21, 2009. Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Navy brass commit to women on subs". UPI. September 28, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  4. ↑ "1st female commander of navy bases sworn in". Contra Costa Times. January 18, 1997. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Navy Region Southwest History". Navy Region Southwest. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Pentagon says four San Diego admirals are on promotion list". San Diego Union-Tribune. February 20, 2002. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Local admiral wins a battle: Navy housing going private". San Diego Union-Tribune. July 18, 1999. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  8. ↑ Representative Duncan Hunter, Congressional Record, September 7, 2004
  9. ↑ "The State: Ex-Navy Officer to Head Local Red Cross". Los Angeles Times. April 18, 2003. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Senator rebukes Red Cross, cites Alpine fire case". San Diego Union-Tribune. May 11, 2002. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Audits show local Red Cross strayed from core mission". San Diego Union-Tribune. November 14, 2002. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  12. ↑ "A new Red Cross: Chapter's fire response inspires confidence". San Diego Union-Tribune. December 21, 2003.
  13. ↑ "Mayor's No. 2 Resigns". Voice of San Diego. June 12, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Women who move the city". San Diego Magazine. July 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Froman to help General Atomics with nuclear power program". The Daily Transcript. January 2, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  16. ↑ Max, Nathan (January 18, 2012). "Monarch School names new CEO". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  17. ↑ "New Monarch School CEO sets priorities". San Diego Union-Tribune. July 12, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  18. ↑ Max, Nathan (January 18, 2012). "Monarch School names new CEO". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  19. 1 2 Bell, Diane (July 16, 2012). "Retired Rear Adm. Froman, still at your service". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.