MKP USA Board of Directors

Michael K Elser

MKP USA Chairman

Mike Elser

My name is Mike Elser.  I was elected Chairman of MKP USA in December, 2011 and began my term in January 2012.  I am 64 years old, married 40 years, the father of two grown children and grandfather to two more.  I was a symphony clarinetist by early passion, then an insurance estate and business analysis executive by economic necessity and, for the past 18 years, a business owner.   My wife, Donna, and I live in Portsmouth, NH.

12 months ago, If you had told me that I would be the Chairman of MKP USA, I wouldn’t have believed you.  I had just finished two years as MKP New England’s Center Director and was ready to enjoy sitting in I-Group, playing with grandkids and going kayaking.

So what changed?
The simple answer is that I was asked to serve.

Why me?  In many ways, you would have to ask those men who asked me to stand and those men who elected me.  For me, the answer is children and grandchildren – mine and yours.  I ask myself, “What kind of world am I leaving to them and is there anything I can do to leave a better world?”

The answer that rises within me is “yes.”

I can join with other men to create a culture where men mentor men to wake up and grow up by doing the work required of the mature masculine.  The fact is, it will take wide awake, grown up men to stand up for a better world and show up to do the work.  That is the work of MKP USA; that is OUR work.

Bob Oser

Bob Oser

MKP USA Vice Chairman

Shortly after my retirement from 35 years of Human Resources work in a New York City corporate global environment of an 18 billion in sales company , I was initiated at age 60 into MKP in October 2002 at Bedford, IN by the Kentucky community. I took the animal totem of Black Running Horse. My wish at that time was that I would have gone through this adventure much earlier in my life. Since initiation, I have staffed 16 times and MOS’ed 4. In late 2006, I was elected by the Kentucky community to serve in the positions of President of the KY Board of Directors and KY Center Director and started serving in those capacities on January 1, 2007. I continue to serve in those portfolio areas.

After MKP’s restructuring in 2009, I was fortunate to be elected to serve as one of the six Center Council Reps on the MKP USA Council and was further blessed to be elected as the U.S. Rep on the International Operating Council. This year I am four times honored to be serving as the vice chair on the MKP USA Council and on the MKP USA Executive Team as well as serving as a member of the MKPI Council and the MKP International Operating Team. Serving on all the aforementioned Boards, Councils, and Teams has been a balancing act and has sharply lessened my time on the golf course. My wife, Deborra, has been extremely supportive of my MKP activities as have my two sons, Kevin and Steven, who also are Warrior brothers. Someday, when MKP allows women into the organization, I’ll ask my daughter, Carrie, to do the weekend as well.

Since MKP of Kentucky is hosting the 25 Year Anniversary Celebration of our organization, I have also been very involved in the planning and preparation of that event. I’m personally inviting you and your partner to come to Louisville, KY on Friday and Saturday, October 22 & 23, 2010. Mark your personal calendars now and make plans to be part of this milestone event. Workshops and much more are on tap both days with the gala dinner Saturday night which also includes an international keynote speaker, circle of honor announcements, and a dance and celebration.

David Bauerly

David Bauerly

Immediate Past MKP USA Chairman

58 years old this June. I have been happily married to an incredible woman for 33 years this year. My wife Patti and I have two children, Jenny who is 26, and Max, who did the weekend four years ago is 24.

I went back to school later in life graduating in 1987. My undergraduate work was in industrial psychology graduating cum laude.

I have 34 years of sobriety in recovery. For much of my life I have made my living building exquisite “one of a kind” pieces of furniture around the Midwest. I have always had multiple interests since the mid 80s. In 1989 I met Dr. Patrick Carnes was and became the executive producer of 12 hours of programming for PBS on addictions. It aired in 1990.

The last 10 years I have done workshops in Iowa with professionals, primarily physicians, who were intervened on for addiction and are now in recovery. I do coaching with them as follow-up.

I live on an acreage in Sioux City, Iowa, in a home I built along with my woodworking workshop. I have planted over 2500 trees on our land in the last 17 years. I still make furniture and restore fine antiques. I will make sawdust until I die. It is in my soul to do so, in the same way that working with men co-creating a planet that has hope for a future is in me.

I am a weekend full leader and a leader trainer. I served for five years as the certification chair for weekend co-leaders and full leaders. I founded the Sioux City center which will soon become Central Plains Center. I did my weekend in June 1993. I have led over 100 weekends. I still have a fire in my bones when I am on weekends, whether leading or doing MOS.

I served on my first non-profit board at the age of 24 and served as president of that board for 3 years. To those who are given much, much is expected.

David Grocott

David Grocott

Center Council Chair

I was born and raised in Ohio. I retired from the Navy after serving 20 years. I than went to work for the Unisys Corporation working in Program Management. I spent 15 years there before changing careers. I became the Assistant Director and Financial Aid Director for the Minneapolis School of Massage. I spent 10 years there before retiring (again).

I went through my weekend in Minnesota in May of 2003. I have staffed 33 times and done MOS 28 times. I am a Ritual Elder and have been the Minnesota Center Director since 2005. I was elected Center Council Vice-chair in 2009 and Center Council Chair in 2010.

I currently serve on the MKP-USA Council and MKP-USA Executive Team.. I am blessed to have a wife that supports the many hours and meetings that go with my MKP life. I love what I do.

Rich Tosi

Founding President

Rich Tosi has a BA in Chemistry / Math from Vanderbilt University, which he attended on a full scholarship from the USMC. Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1963, he was commissioned as an Officer in 1969. He saw combat in Vietnam and completed his tour of duty as a Captain. He worked as an Industrial Engineer for General Motors. His ability to work with GM’s highly unionized workforce allowed him to make a number of significant contributions to GM. One was the Occupational Ergonomics program he created at a Milwaukee plant which eventually became GM’s worldwide model for ergonomics. He was also involved in creating a very successful Cost Reduction process as well as participating in the transition to the GM Production System.

In 1985, Rich co-founded the ManKind Project. He served as President/CEO for its first 12 years, and continues to sit on the Board as a consultant and mentor to this fast growing international organization. He designed and implemented the multilevel training program for its leaders. Because of the combination of his military, corporate, and nonprofit experience, Rich brings excellence to his work with corporate teams, executives, and training opportunities.

Rich & Char Tosi have been married for over 35 years and have two sons. Together they designed a Couples Workshop which they have delivered to hundreds of couples throughout the United States, Canada, and England.

Robert Powell

Robert Powell

At-Large Board Member

Robert Powell is currently serving his second two-year term as an MKP USA At Large Board Member and chairs the Unification Task Force. During his first term, he was the ILC Representative to the MKP USA Council. He has also served as Center Council Chair (1997-99), Project Council Secretary (2000-02), Multicultural Resource Team Co-Chair (2002-04), Multicultural Council Chair (2004-05). Robert is a certified NWTA Leader and served as the Mentor for the German-speaking Community. Locally, he was MKP-GW’s Manager of Training (2004-06) and Center Director (2006-08). After a 37 year career in IT services project management, Robert retired in September 2011.

George Faison

At-Large Board Member

John Groll

At-Large Board Member

Russell Kramp

At-Large Board Member

David Kaar

David Kaar

At-Large Board Member

David Kaar grew up on the southwest side and inner ring suburbs of Chicago; graduated from the University of Illinois (BS Engineering, MS Physics); moved to Minneapolis and worked for 3M for almost 20 years in R&D and product development; he holds 3 US Patents for new ceramic material (fiber) compositions. He has three grown children and one adorable grandson! David has been in a committed relationship with Joanne for nearly 20 years.

He attended the New Warrior Training Adventure at the original site near Milwaukee, WI in February 1988; the next year he was asked by the founders to join the first New Warrior Board and was instrumental in initiating the first NWTA leader training program.

David was a founder of the Minnesota community which held the first NWTA away from the original training site. He was a founder of the New Warrior Network and with Joe Laur, first NWN Executive Director, wrote the original New Warrior Network Governance Document; used for 15 years and the basis for the current ManKind Project Bylaws.

David has lead NWTA trainings since 1991, is currently a full leader and leader trainer. He has served in many Project level positions including International Chairman of ManKind Project in 2001 – 2003, he is currently a member of the MKP-USA Board of Directors and member of the local MKP-Minnesota Council (Board).

David attended the first MKP Hollow Bones training in 1999 and is active in the Mondo Zen community where he is known as Kanjo. He is also the creator of the Dragon Training, an advanced vehicle for senior MKP men (and women) to continue their work past emotional intelligence to causal intelligence.

Ed Barton

Corporate Secretary

Ed was initiated July 1992 in Milwaukee. Since then Ed staffed the 1st W/D NWTA in 1994, has staffed nearly all W/D NWTAs, and has over 50 staffings. At the Centre level Ed had served as Chairman of the Boird, Scribe (Secretary), Centre Elder, I-Group Representative, and is again Centre Elder. Ed has served as MKPI Research Coordinator for nearly 10 years, and also currently serves as Secretary of MKP USA.

B. Crittendon Freeman

Crittenden B Freeman

Recording Secretary

Crittenden was born in New Brunswick, NJ and is currently living there with his partner Dana. He is currently retired but worked for 21 years at AT&T in a variety of positions from low level entry, supervisor, to UNIX, PC production support. Crittenden has also worked at IBM for 6 years in Billing and Server Administration support. He now enjoys spending time teaching bagpipes, playing in a local rock band and has been a member of MKP since 1993. Crittenden recently had a new experience of being an extra in an independent film.