Foti brings a lot of expertise in non-profit leadership, veterans issues, and a deep dedication to helping the veteran and military community to the position. He formerly served as CEO of the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation.
In this recently established position, Foti guides Operation Song into its second decade, supervising the growth of collaborations with veterans’ organizations and the music business as well as the development of fundraising initiatives. In order to accommodate its expansion, Foti is currently in charge of the non-profit’s hunt for additional office space in Nashville, TN.
It’s an honor to join Operation Song and link talented artists with veterans, for whom self-expression can be difficult. Jon Foti, CEO of Operation Song and an Army veteran, says. Giving veterans a voice helps guarantee that all Americans remember the sacrifices that are necessary to maintain our liberties, even though as a country we frequently overlook the effect of service.
Operation Song aims to provide a song for each and every veteran by compiling the greatest collection of songs in the nation that highlight the bravery, friendship, and heroism of military service. Veterans can process and share their experiences and feelings through the cathartic songwriting process, which also helps turn memories into enduring souvenirs. Veterans who take part in Operation Song write with songwriters during virtual or in-person songwriting sessions, hear their stories performed live at benefit concerts around the nation, receive a recorded version of their song, and have their song added to the repertoire of over 1,600 songs on the organization’s Bandcamp page.
Bob Leonard, a former Navy member and President of the Operation Song Board, said the program is increasing our capacity to encourage all veterans to use songwriting as a means of expressive expression. As we approach our second decade as an organization, Jon’s demonstrated leadership with veteran-focused non-profits will enable us to be more strategically focused in our efforts to reach more veterans in more locations across this nation. By developing a network of community resources through our Operation Song ‘alumni’ program, which allows our veterans to regularly access Operation Song regardless of their residence, we also hope to deepen our relationship with the veterans we support. The ultimate objective is to guarantee that every veteran has the chance to motivate every American via music.
After earning his Distinguished Military Graduate degree from the University of Tampa, Jon Foti enlisted in the US Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in 2012. His first posting was as a flight line platoon leader of a Blackhawk helicopter air assault company with the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, KY. Jon was a Battle Captain and combat aviator for the Aviation Taskforce’s Command and Control Center when he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2015. 2018 saw Jon go to Colorado to work in private aviation management while he finished his master’s degree in aeronautics at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. As a Wounded Warrior Fellow in 2019, Jon conducted legislative investigations into the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense on behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives. Jon took over as CEO of the Norman, Oklahoma-based Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation in 2020. There, Jon oversaw a group that assisted 5,000 veterans annually, primarily with VA claims and benefit applications, and he generated millions of dollars to increase access to veterans programs across the country.
Leaders in the technology, healthcare, and music industries in Nashville make up the Board of Directors of Operation Song. Dennis Buchanan, Kevin M. Doherty, Joe Forte, Danielle Lauber, Cindy Morgan, Debbie Respess, Jeff Rice, Jason Rose, Andy Sale, Mike Sistad, and Storme Warren make up the board, which is led by Bob Leonard.
Operation Song® is a non-profit organization located in Nashville, Tennessee, that enables active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families throughout the United States to use music as a means of storytelling. Operation Song was established in 2012 by Grammy, Dove, and 11-time ASCAP award winner Bob Regan (Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Hank Williams Jr., Randy Travis). Through year-round retreats and songwriting sessions, Operation Song has produced over 1,600 songs and encouraged other organizations to take on similar missions.
