The advisory body that has guided Naval Academy sailing for more than 75 years and founded the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation.
In January 1949, the Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy asked Commodore DeCoursey Fales of the New York Yacht Club to form an advisory committee of distinguished sailors who could provide expert guidance to the Academy's sailing program. Fales agreed, and the committee that bears his name has served the Naval Academy without interruption ever since.
The original Fales Committee brought together five men whose combined experience spanned competitive racing, naval service, and sailing journalism at the highest levels:
These founding members set a standard of excellence and service that has defined the Committee's work for more than seven decades.
For its first 24 years, the Fales Committee operated as an informal advisory group, connecting the Naval Academy sailing program with the expertise and resources of the civilian sailing community. By the early 1970s, it became clear that the program needed a formal, tax-exempt organization to receive donated vessels and manage the growing fleet.
In December 1973, the Fales Committee established the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation, incorporated in the State of Maryland as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. This single act created the institutional structure that has sustained Naval Academy sailing ever since, enabling the Foundation to accept donated boats, manage a professional investment portfolio, and fund on-the-water activities for midshipmen.
The Fales Committee now operates as an Advisory Sub-Committee of the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation, serving a dual role that honors its original mandate while meeting the needs of a modern, nationally competitive sailing program.
Advisory Role
The Committee provides qualified advice on the entire Naval Academy sailing program, encompassing seamanship training, offshore racing, and the intercollegiate dinghy program. Committee members review and update operational standards for the Offshore Sail Training Squadron, drawing on their professional expertise and competitive experience to ensure that midshipmen receive training that meets the highest standards in the sport.
Ambassador Role
Members of the Fales Committee serve as ambassadors for Naval Academy sailing in their regional and local sailing communities across the country. They connect the program to the broader sailing world, introducing potential donors, raising awareness of the program's mission, and ensuring that the Naval Academy remains a visible and respected presence in American sailing. This network of relationships is a vital asset that no amount of money can replace.
Today’s Fales Committee carries forward the founders’ standard of excellence, with members whose collective experience spans the America’s Cup, world championships, flag-rank naval service, and the highest levels of business and civic leadership.
Brad Rodi is a former member of the intercollegiate sailing team whose professional and competitive sailing careers reflect sustained excellence at the highest levels. His professional career has focused on global institutional capital markets and fundraising, with deep expertise in alternative investments. He currently serves as Managing Director at Triple A Partners, LLC, and previously held leadership roles at Eaton Partners and Echelon Capital Partners. He began his career as a Naval Surface Warfare Officer and later worked as a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton.
An accomplished sailor, Brad competed in the 1995 America’s Cup Final and has won multiple World, North American, and U.S. National Championships across several classes. While at Navy, he was a four-time All-American, two-time College Sailor of the Year, and part of five collegiate national championship teams.
Mark Converse is a retired U.S. Navy captain, defense professional, and longtime leader in the Navy Sailing community. A former All-American sailor at Navy, he has remained deeply engaged with Navy Sailing alumni efforts and Friends of Navy Sailing.
Professionally, he has worked in defense consulting and program leadership, with expertise in acquisition, systems engineering, test and evaluation, and Navy and Marine Corps aviation programs.
He continues to support Navy Sailing through alumni engagement and advisory involvement.
Allie Coetzee is a retired rear admiral in the United States Navy who has held senior leadership roles in both military and government service. She served as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and previously as Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.
She was commissioned as a Supply Corps officer and later transitioned to the Navy Reserve while building a civilian career across government and industry. Her experience spans roles in municipal and state government, retail distribution, medical device manufacturing, and the Department of Defense.
Her military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and multiple Meritorious Service and Commendation Medals.
Alec Cutler has built a career that spans global investment management, competitive sailing, and long-standing service to maritime and military institutions. He is a fund manager and director at Orbis Investment Management Ltd., where he manages more than ten billion dollars in global multi-asset funds and is a three-time Fund Manager of the Year.
At USNA, Alec earned a degree in Naval Architecture and was a three-time All-American sailor. He won two Collegiate Singlehanded National Championships and was part of the Team Racing National Championship and Fowle Trophy-winning team in 1987. He later competed internationally as a member of the U.S. Sailing Team in the Finn class.
He has remained deeply engaged in the sailing community, winning multiple world and national championships and serving on several maritime and sailing boards. Alec has been a member of the Fales Committee since 2017 and served as its Chair from 2022–2026.
Keith Davids is a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Navy whose career was defined by leadership in Naval Special Warfare. He served as Commander of Naval Special Warfare Command from 2022 to 2024.
He also held senior roles including Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command South and Director of the White House Military Office, along with multiple command assignments within Naval Special Warfare.
He holds advanced degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School and the National War College.
Doug DeVos is Co-Chair of Amway and a business leader with a strong commitment to competitive sailing. He previously served as President of the company and has helped guide its global growth.
He is a key supporter of the New York Yacht Club’s America’s Cup campaign, American Magic, reflecting his deep interest in advancing high-performance sailing.
DeVos is also active in philanthropy, supporting a range of educational and civic initiatives.
Roy P. Disney is a member of the Disney family and an accomplished offshore sailor with deep ties to the international racing community. He has been actively involved in the Pyewacket racing program, one of the most successful offshore campaigns in the United States.
He has competed in numerous major offshore races, including multiple Transpacific Yacht Races, where the Pyewacket program has achieved record-setting performances.
In addition to sailing, Disney has been engaged in business and entrepreneurial ventures, maintaining a relatively private public profile.
Gardner Howe is a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral and Navy SEAL whose career included senior leadership roles across Naval Special Warfare and the joint special operations community. His final assignment was Associate Director for Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency.
He previously served as Commander of Special Operations Command Pacific and as the 55th President of the Naval War College, becoming the first SEAL officer to hold that role. His career included multiple command assignments within Naval Special Warfare and Joint Special Operations Command.
He also holds advanced degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School and the National War College and remains active in advisory roles supporting the broader community.
Terry Hutchinson is one of the most accomplished American sailors of the modern era, with a career spanning more than three decades across offshore racing, grand prix competition, and the America’s Cup. He has won 18 World Championships and is a two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year.
He has competed in five America’s Cup campaigns and the Volvo Ocean Race, and served as tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand in its 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup victory.
A native of Annapolis, Hutchinson was a four-time All-American at Old Dominion University and a two-time College Sailor of the Year (1989 and 1990). He is widely respected for his leadership and ability to build high-performing teams.
Bill Ketcham is a media executive and accomplished sailor with deep ties to the U.S. sailing community. He spent much of his career with ESPN, where he held senior leadership roles and contributed to the network’s growth.
Ketcham is a Past Commodore of the New York Yacht Club and has played an important role in advancing its competitive sailing programs.
An active offshore sailor, he remains closely involved in high-level racing and the broader sailing community.
Suzy Leech is an accomplished competitive sailor and a member of one of the most respected families in American sailing. She has been immersed in high-level sailing from an early age and has built a distinguished career in the sport.
Leech has competed extensively in national and international regattas across a range of one-design and keelboat classes, earning a reputation as a skilled and versatile sailor.
She remains actively engaged in the sailing community through competition, leadership, and mentorship, with a particular focus on advancing women’s sailing.
David Schoene is a defense and government consulting professional with experience supporting U.S. Navy and Department of Defense programs. He has worked as a program manager and consultant with firms including Booz Allen Hamilton and CSC.
His work has focused on program management, systems integration, and mission support across defense-related initiatives. At Navy, he served as co-captain of the intercollegiate sailing team and was tactician on two Kennedy Cup-winning teams.
Schoene is also an active sailor in the Annapolis racing community.
Cory Sertl is one of the most accomplished sailors in the United States, with a distinguished career spanning national and international competition. She is a two-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.
She has competed at the highest levels of match racing and keelboat sailing and is widely respected across the sport. Sertl also served as President of US Sailing and is currently a Vice President of World Sailing, the sport’s international governing body.
Sertl brings deep experience, credibility, and leadership to the sport.
The Fales Committee's work continues. If you share our commitment to developing leaders through sailing, we invite you to learn how you can support the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation.
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