Gardnerville woman named to veterans commission

Governor Jim Gibbons recently appointed Sally Wiley of Gardnerville and reappointed Ron Gutzman of Carson City to serve two-year terms on the Nevada Veterans Services Commission.

Sally Wiley was born in Winnemucca and has lived in Gardnerville since 2001. She attended Merritt Junior College in Oakland, California, and retired from the investment industry. Mrs. Wiley is a member of Carson Valley Sertoma, Douglas County Republican Women, the Douglas County Republican Central Committee,

Gold Star Mothers of America, Sierra Nevada Blue Star Mothers, and St. Gall Catholic Church. She also volunteers for the Army National Guard, Carson Valley Food Closet, St. Gall Women's Society, and St. Gall Catholic Church. She is married to James Wiley and is the mother of three sons, Sean Diamond (deceased),

Michael Diamond, and Jason Diamond, and is a grandmother of nine. Her son, Staff Sergeant Sean Diamond, was killed by an improvised explosive devise while serving his third tour in Iraq in February 2009. Mrs. Wiley is very pleased with her appointment and says, "my way of honoring Sean is to continue working with the soldiers, their families, and the veterans." She was appointed as a member of the general public.

Ron Gutzman is a 44-year resident of Nevada and currently resides in Carson City. Originally from Madison, S.D., he attended Dakota State College, University of New Mexico, and Northern Arizona University.

He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and served as an air traffic controller. Mr. Gutzman and his wife Beverly have two children, David and Kristina, and three grandchildren. His goal as a Veterans Service Commissioner is "to have happy, healthy, and secure veterans" here in the state of Nevada. He was appointed as a representative of the American Legion.

The Nevada Veterans Services Commission is composed of nine members who advise the Governor, legislature, and directors of the Nevada Office of Veterans Services regarding aid or benefits to veterans.

They each serve a two-year term. Five are appointed by the governor, three as representatives from nationally recognized veterans' organizations and two from the general public. The Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of the Assembly each appoint one member, and the chairs of the two veterans cemetery advisory committees each appoint one member from their respective committees. The nine members of the

Nevada Veterans Services Commission are Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, Senator Terry Care, Gutzman, William Baumann, Sean Fellows, Gina Crown, Michael Musgrove, Major General (Ret.) Scott Smith, and Wiley.