Million Dollar Ambassadors

Turning Compassion Into Action

The following individuals have each pledged to personally raise $1 million in support of USA Cares and its mission. With their help, thousands of veterans and their families can be assisted during their most critical times of need, helping to reduce potential factors that can contribute to veteran suicide.

Ambassadors

C. KELLY BUCKLEY, MBA, CFP®, AAMS™

C. Kelly Buckley, MBA, CFP®, AAMS™ is a Lexington native with over 35 years of experience in professional money management. A 1979 Air Force Academy Graduate and retired U.S.A.F. Officer and F-16 fighter pilot, Kelly has ingrained the core values of the Academy into his everyday life, “Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.” He has been selected as a featured speaker at many peer financial conferences and has taught undergraduate and continuing education courses in Finance, Investment, and Macro-Economics at three separate Universities. Kelly formerly served as an Assistant Vice President with Merrill Lynch before founding Spectrum Financial Alliance Ltd., L.L.C., the successor entity of Buckley Financial Advisory Ltd., L.L.C., in 1995. Kelly serves as Managing Principal and Managing Director for Asset Management at Spectrum Financial Alliance.

RAY HAMMONS

H. Ray Hammons received the ROTC 4 Year Scholarship graduated from Cumberland College with his bachelor’s degrees in both Computer Information Systems and Business in 1989. Ray completed a MA degree in finance from Webster University in 1991, and a MBA in 1992. Ray entered the business world in 1990 with Capital Holding as an Associate working to develop investment systems where he remained until 1995. In 1996, he transitioned his skills to Humana, continuing his work with investment systems. In 1997, Ray joined Ernst and Young as a consultant and continued this path with Coopers and Lybrand from 2000 to 2002. In 2002, Ray founded HRH Capital, which he continues to lead and grow as CEO of Roller Die and Forming. Since taking over, Ray has expanded Roller Die from a 6.5-million-dollar operation with 1 Plant to a company with 7 plants in over 100 million in sales. Furthering his commitment to lead with the upmost skill and compassion, Ray completed Harvard’s Executive Education Program in 2008, as well as the Executive Education Program from London Business School in 2009.

In addition to his career and educational pursuits, Ray has also sat on the board of Cumberland College. He is currently an advisory board member at Paducah Bank, as well as a member of YPO where he previously held the position of president of the Louisville chapter. In 2022, Ray was presented with Louisville Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO award for his work at HRH Capital and Roller Die and Forming. In his free time, Ray enjoys following sports Basketball, Baseball, and Golf. In addition to this, he is mastering his passion for motorcycles, both track racing and casual riding.

BRUCE KRAMER

Bruce Kramer is a CPA with more than 40 years of experience in public/private accounting and management. Bruce graduated from Bellarmine University in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He spent five years with Ernst & Young in Louisville, KY where he secured his CPA certificate. He then spent two years with an International Paint and Coatings company and five years with a Regional Coffee company before setting out on his own as a consultant, serving a diverse client base. Bruce joined Charah as a consultant in 2005 and was hired full-time as CFO in 2007. In that capacity, he was recognized as CFO of the Year by Business First of Louisville in 2011. Under his leadership as a key member of the executive team, Charah experienced double-digit growth over a ten-year period followed by a successful IPO on the NYSE in 2018. Bruce retired from Charah Solutions in 2019 and currently serves as CFO of Unity Aluminum. Bruce is also a Board member of Dismas Charities and serves on the sponsorship committee for the St. John Center for Homeless Men. He is also a co-founder of TAG Ministries (www.thinkaboutgod.org).

Bruce Kramer