State Leader Profiles





 
Chuck Bailey - Alabama
Retired from The Boeing Company after a career in electro-optics engineering including Rockwell International and the U.S. Army Missile Command.

Also retired from the Air National Guard as a Lt. Col. after 4 years active duty and 26 1/2 years in the ANG.  The first ten of those years were as an enlisted man, the remainder as an officer.

Most of the retirement time has been spent actively pursuing enactment of The Fair Tax Act (HR25), commonly known as The FAIRtax in the U.S. House.  In parallel, actively promoting The Alabama Economic Freedom Act, HB4 - Alabama’s FairTax - in the State House. 
Wiley Brooks - Alaska
Wiley Brooks grew on a small family farm in the state of Mississippi. He earned a degree in business management from Mississippi State University 1956.

Wiley Brooks was a 20-year career officer in the USAF advancing to the grade of Lieutenant Colonel. He retired from active duty to enter business in 1977. A Vietnam veteran with 156 combat missions, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters, The Meritorious Service Medal, The Air Force Commenda­tion Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Vietnam Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

Beginning in 1978, Brooks entered the real estate profession in Anchorage specializing in property management. In 1982, he established Wiley Brooks Co., a full-service real estate firm. He served as broker and CEO until 2002 when he began retirement. The company continues to operate. In retirement Brooks has remained active in community activities. Since 1999 he has been an active member and Alaska State Director of Americans for Fair Taxation.
Martin Sturmer - California
Martin Sturmer received his BS in Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance, from California State University Sacramento, where his interest in business and finance got its start.

Martin recognized the need for tax reform long before the Tea Party held its first protest, growing out of his frustration at having to file tax returns in 6 different states because his Wife was a partner in a NY law firm. The whole system was mind-boggling.

His search for an organization devoted to tax reform ultimately led him to Americans For Fair Taxation, a grass roots organization devoted to eliminating the federal income tax system and replacing it with a federal consumption tax as best expressed by The FAIRtax, which would also eliminate the need for the IRS as an enforcement agency.  Martin currently serves as the State Director in California.
Bob Paxton - Florida
Bob began his working life as a radio DJ back when radio stations were run by real people, not computers.  He started out doing weekends on WMDE in Greensboro NC, and then moved on to WTIK in Durham, NC, WMOP in Ocala FL and WRYO in Crystal River FL.  While doing radio was definitely a fun job, it wasn’t the greatest living in the world.  So, Bob retired from radio and spent nearly thirty years as a computer programmer before retiring for good in 2011.

Like many other FAIRtax Volunteers, he became aware of The FAIRtax listening to Neal Boortz.  It wasn’t long after retiring as a programmer Bob returned to his radio roots.  Teaming up with Ron Maiellaro, they became “The FAIRtax Guys” and began hosting FAIRtax Power Radio, a weekly 30 minute program dedicated to educating people about The FAIRtax and advocating for its passage.

Today, FTPR is heard around the world on Facebook, YouTube, Parler, Periscope, spreaker.com, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts and the free FAIRtax Power Radio app.  In 2020, the Guys teamed up with Bob Scarborough in North Carolina to bring the program to terrestrial radio.  They’re currently heard on WTOB in Winston-Salem, NC, WAME in Statesville, NC and WLSC in Loris, SC.
Randy Fischer - Florida
During 36 years of hectic legal practice Randy Fischer had dozens of interactions with IRS. None of them showed much, if any, agency competency.  He read about a Citizens initiative to end taxation of income, and by 1999 used his legal skills to find and research HR 25 The Fair Tax Act.  He was hooked and decided in 2001-2002 to try to build local groups in Ocala and Gainesville with modest success.  And then, life interrupted especially the destruction of the economy in 2007 and efforts at building off what was the beginning of a state organization came to a halt.

With retirement in 2012 he wanted to devote full time as a Florida FAIRtax Board Member helping with logistics and research on a state memorial and quickly moving to get then lagging social media efforts opened up on multiple platforms.  In 2014 Randy traveled to Houston, volunteered as coordinator of a Marketing and Communications Team and the rest as they say has been history.
Paul Livingston - Florida
Paul was raised in Michigan.  He and his Wife have called Jacksonville, FL home since 1986.  Doing his first tax return as a teenager, gave him his first quest for tax reform.  Finally in 2005, thanks to talk show host Neal Boortz, Paul first heard about the FAIRtax, read the books, studied and became an active volunteer.  July 1, 2020 he was elected the President of the Florida FAIRtax Educational Association, the Florida organization of the national organization, Americas for Fair Taxation.

Paul believes in the Declaration of Independence...“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  However the 16th Amendment (Direct taxation without apportionment) gave the federal government a huge new power to tax with their heavy handed and debilitating income/payroll tax system and We The People lost freedom, liberty and civil rights.  Now is the time to “Take Back Control” with the passage of The FAIRtax.   Other information:  Peace Corp Volunteer.   MBA, Michigan State University.   1st Lieutenant, Army Quartermaster Corp.   50 years’ experience in marketing and sales.   Married with two children.   Mantra: Attitude & Activity.

Mark A. Pearson - Illinois
After 25 years and 7 institutions, working with Inmates, male and female, ranging from adolescent "boot campers" to death row inmates, maximum to minimum security, psychotic to neurotic to (mostly) not "mentally ill," Correctional Psychologist, Mark A. Pearson M.A. retired to apply himself to various personal interest projects.

Chief personal interest being passage of The FAIRtax Act (H.R 25) and the repeal of the grossly unconstitutional 16th Amendment which ushered in the reinstatement of Slavery, for ALL Americans.  My involvement in The FAIRtax dates to the so-called "Neal Boortz" era of the early 90's where I attended multiple rallies in Georgia and Illinois.  I also participated in the organizational meeting of Americans for Fair Taxation in Houston Texas when the Grassroots officially took over the organization.
Claude Mertzenich - Iowa
Claude has lived in Decorah, Iowa for almost 30 years.

From the periodic elements table in the background to this photo it will not surprise you to learn Claude teaches chemistry at Luther College in Decorah. Claude has a Ph.D. Inorganic Chemistry from the University Of Wisconsin and a B.A. Chemistry from Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Claude and his Wife, Lauri, have been married almost 30 years and have 4 adult children.
Craig Bergman - Iowa
I am an Author/Speaker; Entrepreneur; Consultant; Talk Show Host; Film Producer did you see my 2014 movie "Un-Fair: Exposing The IRS"; Adventurer; Futurist; Religion/Politics/Culture Expert; Farmer; Banker; Veteran;

I am a longtime advocate for American prosperity, who has extensive political campaign and grassroots organization experience at both state and national levels having been involved in political campaigning since being an Iowa College Republican Chair for Jack Kemp’s Presidential Campaign in 1987.   My not-for-profit activities include: State Director for both the Iowa FAIRtax and Iowa Republican Assembly, state affiliates of each respective national organization.  I am also the President of the Tea Party of America and Patriots for Christ, 2 emerging national organizations. Additionally, I have served as a consultant or grassroots organizer for other national organizations such as Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family and Americans for Prosperity.

I am a lifelong Iowan, born in Fort Dodge.  My offices are in Des Moines and I live on the Southside of the city. I am a Gulf War Era Veteran who served in the Army for 9 years right out of high school. In my spare time, I play guitar and sing in a band which performs rock-n-roll, country, and contemporary Christian music; I was also Pastor for a Patriotic Outreach Church – Royal Church.
Ron Babin - Michigan
Ron grew up and lives in the “Great Lakes State” and enjoys sailing in Lake Huron.

After graduating from Central Michigan University with a B.S. Business Administration with a Major in Accounting, he worked for a private manufacturing company based in Detroit as Assistant Controller.  After working his way up to division General Manager, he returned to school at Walsh College where he received a Masters of Science in Finance.  Ron has since run his own business assisting small employers in administrative procedures with a focus on becoming computerized with in-house accounting systems and user-friendly database programs.

After seeing the significant negative impact the tax system had on businesses, Ron started his FAIRtax involvement in 2004 as the District Director covering Michigan’s 10th & 12th Congressional districts.  Given his diverse business background and thorough understanding of The FAIRtax, he accepted the position of Michigan Deputy State Director for FAIRtax.org in mid-2005, and then President of The Michigan FAIRtax Association in 2017.  Ron was elected to the Americans For Fair Taxation Board of Directors in 2019.
Harold Vanderboegh - Missouri
Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer and Civil Service Computer Systems Project Manager who has been supporting The Fairtax since 2000.

I have served as District Director and as Saint Louis Area FAIRtax Coordinator.


 
Armando Marianetti - New York
From East Rochester.  Small business owner since 1978, includes restaurants, auto parts store, financial services, and tutoring.

Bio-Educator Rochester City School District and FAIRtax NY & SMARTax Freedom for NY. Volunteering at Convention of States NY.

Studied Education at Roberts Wesleyan College, Masters in Education. Studied BA in Government at Georgetown University. Went to East Rochester High School, National Honor Society.
Adam Yomtov - New York
In 1996, I said, “Enough Is Enough!” I then decided to Volunteer on the overwhelming importance and necessity of enacting "True Fundamental Tax Reform".  I started with CATS - Citizens for An Alternative Tax System and shortly thereafter joined NRSTA - The National Retail Sales Tax Alliance.  For about 2 years, I visited the NBC studios at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, every Sunday morning at 7AM, where I held up a sign hoping the camera would pan onto me, and they did. I still remember calling Neal White after the 1st time and asking him if he received calls, and he said "Yes".  We received millions of dollars worth of advertising only at the expense of my Saturday night social life.

GOD sent me his beautiful hija to marry me [Patti is on the motorcycle with me during the 2010 Washington D.C. events] and we are the Parents of 2 Girls, 2 Boys, and also Grandparents.  I love The United States Of America and as an American Citizen, I have a sworn oath to defend The Constitution based upon the Founding Principles as espoused in The Declaration Of Independence. Join with us NOW!  Passing The FAIRtax and repealing The 16th Amendment will start to repair the 100+ years of damage caused by income-taxes and restore the correct relationship to exist between We-The-People and OUR governments.  May GOD continue to Bless America!
Laura McCue - North Carolina
Laura McCue is the CEO & President of White Oak Financial Management, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor, started in 2003.  She has been providing investment management and advice for 35 years.  Her firm offers professional investment management services and personal financial guidance to its clients.

Laura became involved with The FAIRtax movement in 2006 after reading the newly published book by Neal Boortz, "The FAIRtax", while flying across the country.  She found it fascinating, awakening, and exciting.  She returned to her hometown of Asheville, NC and soon attended a FAIRtax educational seminar in Greenville, SC.  At this event, Laura was so optimistic and excited about the potential for The FAIRtax, she agreed to become the Volunteer District Coordinator (NC-11).  Since then, she has served as a leader in her state and currently serves as the AFFT North Carolina Volunteer State Director.
 
Dr. Tony Urbanek - Tennessee