Clint Bruce
Chairman - HoldFast Institute
One of the most decorated athletes in the storied history of the United States Naval Academy, Clint was a four-year letter winner and football Co-Captain through his graduation in 1997.
Clint played in the National Football League with both the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints. Upon leaving the NFL, Clint graduated as a member of BUD/S Class 217 and served as a U.S. Navy SEAL, deploying multiple times in direct support of counterterrorism operations.
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Clint has founded multiple companies and foundations including Trident Response Group, Carry the Load, the HighGround Foundation, and the HoldFast Institute. He also sits on multiple Boards and fills advisory roles for Veteran-focused organizations and initiatives, including the Center for Brain Health, Equest, and the Adaptive Training Foundation.
As the Chairman of the HoldFast Institute, Clint is passionate about sharing the lessons he learned during his time leading Elite teams on several different “Maps” with America’s best private industry leaders.
Dan Bradley
Chief Executive Officer - HoldFast Institute
Upon his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy as a member of the Class of 2015, Dan was selected to serve as a Tactical Air Control Party Officer and Joint Terminal Attack Controller within the Air Force’s Special Warfare community. In support of Operation Inherent Resolve, he was responsible for coordinating close air support missions for Joint and Coalition air and ground forces, delivering over 17 tons of air-to-ground munitions on Islamic State targets.
After leaving the Air Force in 2020, Dan served in multiple leadership roles in private industry including as a Sales Director and as co-founder and CEO of a high-growth start-up company in the Dallas-Fort Worth construction industry.
As the CEO of the HoldFast Institute, Dan is charged with enabling HoldFast speakers and trainers to share their experiences with America’s best BoardRoom leaders, helping them to PursueElite every day.
Duncan Baillie
Duncan, originally from South Africa, spent 25 years serving in the British Army, with 3 years of service in the Parachute Regiment and the following 22 years being spent in the Special Operations community with the 22 SAS. He retired as a Warrant Officer 2nd Class in 2021 with numerous campaign service medals, as well as a Long Service Good Conduct medal.
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Since leaving the military, “Dunc” has founded and led multiple private consulting ventures, serving as a subject matter expert in the defense industry as well as a distributor for defense technology from the global market into the Department of Defense space. His companies also develop personalized Human Resource solutions for customers in austere environments or who face unique problem sets.
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A lifelong sportsman and experienced diver, Duncan puts his talents to use in support of marine research and conservation initiatives in Florida and throughout the United States.
RJ Casey
RJ Casey spent his earlier years in various special operations units. He served multiple tours in countries including Afghanistan, Colombia, Haiti, Iraq, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, and Syria. With over 35 years of service, RJ continues working with the Department of Defense and other government agencies on Special Operations, Personnel Recovery, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response operations.
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That foundation has led RJ to several other industries and adventures from being the first member of SpaceX's Astronaut Rescue and Recovery Team to co-founding Brigands Co and Four Branches Bourbon. In the film industry, RJ is most known for his work on Extraction 2, Dunkirk, and Inception.
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He is a scientific diver for marine conservation projects with Force Blue and donates time with the Third Option Foundation in support of fellow veterans.
Jon Fay
A 2000 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, where he lettered in football, Jon’s military career spanned over 24 years as a Naval Flight Officer where he distinguished himself by accumulating over 3,200 flight hours and 168 carrier-arrested landings in multiple aircraft including the S-3B Viking, the T-1A Jayhawk, the P-3C Orion.
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Jon’s Naval service included time served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation SAHAYOGI HAAT in Nepal, and as a Navy Legislative Fellow to the House of Representatives in the 115th Congress.
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Jon’s career culminated as the Executive Officer for the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, known as the Blue Angels. Upon his retirement from the Navy in 2024, Jon became the Director of Surplus Solutions for Airline MRO Parts, overseeing the strategic planning, implementation, and optimization of surplus aircraft asset management processes.
Brendan McDonough
Brendan McDonough is the Chief Executive Officer of HoldFast Recovery, a faith-based treatment center located in Prescott, Arizona which emphasizes clinical excellence and physical wellness as avenues for recovery from substance abuse and addiction.
Brendan is the sole survivor of the elite Granite Mountain HotShots in the aftermath of the Yarnell Hill Wildfire in 2013, the single greatest loss of firefighter lives in the United States since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Brendan’s incredible story, which details his recovery from drug addiction through finding purpose as a wildland firefighter, is detailed in his memoir Granite Mountain. Brendan’s book was adapted into the 2017 major motion picture Only The Brave.
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A passionate and sincere advocate for mental health initiatives, Brendan works tirelessly with numerous nonprofits for veterans and first responders throughout the United States.
Jared Ogden
Jared is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy’s Class of 2004. After beginning his Naval career as a Surface Warfare Officer, Jared graduated from BUD/S Class 265 and deployed three times as a Navy SEAL. His military awards include the Combat Action Ribbon and the Bronze Star with “V” for Valor.
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Jared has been featured on the National Geographic Channel’s hit show Ultimate Survival Alaska Seasons 2 and 3. He holds an MBA from the University of Washington, serves on the Service Academy Selection Committee for Rep. Mary Miller, and was selected to St. Louis Business Journal’s elite “40 Under 40” in 2018. Additionally, he started the Sugar Cookie Open, a BUD/S-themed golf tournament that benefits veteran and first responder organizations.
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Jared is the co-founder and CEO of Triumph Systems, a firm which designs, manufactures, and distributes training tools to enhance firearm training in support of military, law enforcement, and civilian initiatives.
Mitch Harris
Mitch graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2008. During his time at USNA, he excelled in baseball, being named a Third Team All American by Baseball America. As a Naval officer, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant, deploying multiple times as a Surface Warfare Officer on the USS Ponce as a Weapons Officer and the USS Carr conducting counter-drug operations.
Though drafted in the 13th round of the 2008 MLB Draft, Harris did not begin his professional baseball career with the Saint Louis Cardinals until 2013 after completing his Naval service. He became the first Naval Academy graduate to appear in a Major League Baseball game since 1921 when he debuted in 2015. Appearing in 26 games over 3 seasons, Mitch achieved a 2-1 win-loss record and posted a career ERA of 3.67.
Now a Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor, Mitch is passionate about finding out what is truly important to each individual he works with and crafting individualized plans to help them achieve those goals.
