Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Army veteran Vincent Viola, billionaire owner of the Florida Panthers, named Trump’s Army secretary
Washington Post ^ | 12/19/16 | Dan Lamothe

Posted on 12/19/2016 7:42:12 AM PST by DoodleDawg

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated as his Army secretary Vincent Viola, an Army veteran who became a billionaire after founding an electronic trading firm and went on to buy the Florida Panthers hockey team.

Viola is a 1977 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and funded the creation of its highly regarded Combating Terrorism Center after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. A former infantry officer and Ranger School graduate, he has pressed for innovation in cyber warfare, saying at a conference five years ago that the Army of the future will be built on a “gestalt of geekdom.”

“We’ve got to find geeks who love their country,” Viola said, according to the military technology website Defense Systems. “At my company, I’ll gladly trade 10 pull-ups and five minutes on a run for 20 IQ points and heart.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: billionaires; cabinet; italianamericans; nfl; nhl; panthers; trump; trumpdod; trumptransition; usarmy; usma; veterans; vincentviola; viola
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last
Seems like another solid pick.
1 posted on 12/19/2016 7:42:12 AM PST by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

2 posted on 12/19/2016 7:45:39 AM PST by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

Sure beats Obama’s choice...”openly gay civilian” Eric Fanning

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/first-openly-gay-army-secretary-confirmed-n575661


3 posted on 12/19/2016 7:46:41 AM PST by Non-Compliant_Deplorable
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

“He moved to Florida, and said then that he planned to retire there.”

Lots of people do that to escape high tax locales like NYC. No state income tax is a big deal when you have made money at this level.


4 posted on 12/19/2016 7:48:50 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

Yep - Trump hitting on all 12 cylinders.


5 posted on 12/19/2016 7:50:47 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fishtank
From the left.

ANOTHER BAZILLIONAIRE!!!

Let's ignore the fact that the man is...
ACTUALLY SUCCESSFUL.

6 posted on 12/19/2016 7:52:05 AM PST by mountn man (The Pleasure You Get From Life, Is Equal To The Attitude You Put Into It)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

I was wondering about this one at first. Infantry officer who goes on to great success in business? Perfect Army Sec.


7 posted on 12/19/2016 7:53:41 AM PST by jimfree (In November 2016 my 16 y/o granddaughter will have more quality exec experience than Barack Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

If there is a Florida Panthers vs. Vegas Golden Knights game, the pregame ceremonies should be entertaining.

From an article in the Las Vegas Sun:

A National Hockey League expansion team that plans to call itself the Golden Knights has caught the attention of Army officials because of the parachute team that goes by the same name.

The Vegas Golden Knights, who begin play next year, announced their moniker last Tuesday.

The U.S. Army Parachute Team, which is based at Fort Bragg, has used the Golden Knights name since the 1960s, said Alison Bettencourt, a spokeswoman for the Army Marketing and Research Group in Arlington, Virginia. The group serves as the Army-level headquarters of the Golden Knights.

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/nov/29/army-officials-to-review-hockey-las-vegas-teams-us/


8 posted on 12/19/2016 7:54:37 AM PST by ConservativeStatement (Pop culture, media and education too often attempt to brainwash)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimfree

Oh my, Ranger too? Nuf said.


9 posted on 12/19/2016 7:54:42 AM PST by jimfree (In November 2016 my 16 y/o granddaughter will have more quality exec experience than Barack Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

Solid pick is right - take a gander at this guy’s resume!

The epitome of the red-blooded American.


10 posted on 12/19/2016 7:54:49 AM PST by Paulie (America without Christ is like a Chemistry book without the periodic table.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mountn man

Or “Hockey, so typical of Trump.” :-)


11 posted on 12/19/2016 7:55:03 AM PST by ConservativeStatement (Pop culture, media and education too often attempt to brainwash)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

Outstanding pick. Again. The man is brilliant (major player in finance who was chairman of NYMEX on 9/11), Army through and through, and has more money than anyone can spend in a lifetime. So he can be 100% committed with no personal agenda but his country’s.


12 posted on 12/19/2016 7:57:25 AM PST by katana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: trebb

Not only on all twelve cylinders, the twin-turbos are kicking in as well. No lag whatsoever - just pure torque.


13 posted on 12/19/2016 7:57:50 AM PST by alloysteel (It is OK to use the greeting "Merry Christmas" again. Happy birthday, Jesus!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

alt-left says: double-not-good choice: billionaire AND ex-military ...


14 posted on 12/19/2016 7:58:49 AM PST by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg
Michael Flett ‏@MichaelFlettNJ 12m12 minutes ago
#Trump selects #Viola #Army secretary! I was a trader at the #NYMEX during #911 Vinnie is a great leader!

WSJ: Donald Trump Selects Trading Firm Founder Vincent Viola as Army Secretary Billionaire also is an owner of the Florida Panthers professional hockey team

15 posted on 12/19/2016 8:01:35 AM PST by HokieMom (Pacepa : Can the U.S. afford a president who can't recognize anti-Americanism?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alloysteel
Trumpmobile

MAGA

16 posted on 12/19/2016 8:01:52 AM PST by mountn man (The Pleasure You Get From Life, Is Equal To The Attitude You Put Into It)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: mountn man

A beautiful thing....


17 posted on 12/19/2016 8:02:28 AM PST by 1217Chic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

Photo with the WSJ article.

18 posted on 12/19/2016 8:02:37 AM PST by HokieMom (Pacepa : Can the U.S. afford a president who can't recognize anti-Americanism?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Vincent Viola at a 2013 news conference after he was formally introduced as the new owner of the Florida Panthers NHL team.

Business Insider: Trump nominates Wall Street billionaire and Florida Panthers owner as Army secretary

19 posted on 12/19/2016 8:05:18 AM PST by HokieMom (Pacepa : Can the U.S. afford a president who can't recognize anti-Americanism?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

MC ‏@ItsMariaCapone 1h1 hour ago
Vincent #Viola Nominated as Secretary of the #Army #CabinetPicks #PresidentElectTrump

20 posted on 12/19/2016 8:14:32 AM PST by HokieMom (Pacepa : Can the U.S. afford a president who can't recognize anti-Americanism?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson