MERCY MEDICAL ANGELS ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP CHANGES

Gib Godwin Appointed New President & CEO; David Linton Becomes New Board Chair

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Mercy Medical Angels (MMA) proudly announces the unanimous selection of Rear Admiral James ‘Gib’ B. Godwin, USN (retired) as the organization’s new president and CEO, effective April 1, 2021.

After a thorough review process of 63 potential candidates, the MMA selection committee and board of directors approved Mr. Godwin as the new leader of the nonprofit organization. He will also serve as executive director of MMA’s Angel Wings for Veterans, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic, as well as the Angel Canines and Wounded Warriors and Angel Wheels transportation programs. 

With 15 years of MMA experience, Mr. Godwin most recently served as MMA Board Chair and will replace Robb Alpaugh, former president and CEO, who passed away on Saturday, January 9, 2021. 

“I look forward to continuing Robb’s legacy in my new role with the organization that is on very solid footing because of his leadership and guidance,” said Mr. Godwin. “A special thank you to Stephanie Bollmann, our Chief Operating Officer, who assumed Robb’s duties during the past three months.” Mr. Godwin added, “Fifteen years ago after I attended my first MMA meeting, I told my wife Karen ‘now that’s something I could be passionate about’–––– being able to step into this new role lets me live out that passion.” 

A retired decorated Naval aviator with 33 years of service, Mr. Godwin has extensive experience in critical program and fiscal management, systems integration, problem solving, foreign military sales, and successful program delivery in the defense domain. He is the founder of BriteWerx, Inc., a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business providing consulting services in the aerospace, IT, cyber, and disruptive technology development fields.

Replacing Mr. Godwin as MMA Board Chair is David Linton, an Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic pilot since 2016 with more than 100 missions covering over 50,000 miles in his logbook. Most recently, Mr. Linton has served on the MMA board and is a retired senor executive and industry veteran in the aerospace and defense and flow control industries. Mr. Linton brings 38 years of experience in market leading businesses involved in highly engineered products and manufacturing.

“I am honored to serve as the Board Chair and excited about the opportunity to work with Gib Godwin, the Mercy Medical Angels staff, and the generous volunteer pilot network that deliver hope daily to those with critical needs,” said Mr. Linton.

Kelly Murphy, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic board chair, added, “I was honored when Robb asked me to volunteer five years ago to support this amazing organization that restores hope and health with medical transportation for patients in need. Now with the combined skills and talents of Gib and David, I know that our critical mission to serve others will continue to expand as they both have servant hearts.”

Founded 49 years ago, Mercy Medical Angels is the nation’s largest provider of charitable medical transportation for patients in need to reach critical clinical care. Mercy Medical Angel’s mission is to “remove the barrier to medical care with transportation on the ground with gas cards bus and train tickets and in the air with flights by volunteer pilots and the commercial airlines.” 

For information about Mercy Medical Angels or to make a donation in Robb Alpaugh’s memory, please visit www.MercyMedical.org