John Tree

In his civilian life, he is the CEO of Valudor Products, LLC, a global special chemical distributor, backed by Private Equity investors. His background combines the functional expertise of marketing and brand management from Procter & Gamble and Kellogg's along with 29 years of experience in global supply chain and Logistics in the U.S. Air Force. He has held many positions up to CEO and President of various consumer product companies, with a particular focus on healthy food. He began his corporate career in marketing and brand management with Procter & Gamble, and then with Kellogg’s, where he was the Director of wholesome snacks, managing such icon brands as NutriGrain, Rice Krispies Treats, and Special K bars. This portfolio of brands generated over $400 million in annual sales. After leaving Kellogg’s in 2004, he created a national beverage company to provide healthy snack drinks to baby boomers. He went on to manage Caymen Ventures, Inc., which focused on identifying middle market companies for sale in the consumer goods, food and beverage, Logistics and supply chain sectors. Prior to his current position he served as the CEO of Raymond Express International, a global leader in produce and Logistics.

He was promoted to the rank of full colonel in May, 2008 and was subsequently reassigned as the senior reservist to the Director of Global Channel Operations in the Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC) at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He held this position for three years and was then assigned in March, 2011 as the senior reservist to the director of resource integration at the Headquarters, United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington D.C. The directorate is responsible for Air Force Logistics, installations and mission support long-range planning, strategic support planning and associated policies. The directorate prepares, executes and manages programs totaling $21 billion annually for aircraft, missiles, munitions, equipment, vehicles, infrastructures and facilities. He served at the Pentagon until April 2015, followed by an assignment as the mobilization assistant to the commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, with $3B in revenue and over 9,000 employees. He was promoted to his current rank of Brigadier General on Dec 2, 2017 and was placed in his current position shortly thereafter.

He was also a candidate for the United States Congress with the Democratic Party. In November 2011, he announced his candidacy for Illinois's 10th congressional district. He did not win the primary election held on March 20, 2012 and he subsequently returned to private industry.

He is married to Michelle Tree, and they have 5 children. It is the second marriage for both of them. Tragically, his oldest daughter from his first marriage, Stephanie Tree, died from an accidental drug overdose in August, 2011. He continues to talk about the dangers of drugs and alcohol whenever possible in hopes of preventing future senseless tragedies.

In 2004 he deployed to Headquarters United States European Command in Stuttgart, Germany for 5 months in support of the war on terror and Operation Enduring Freedom. He worked in the Headquarter's 24/7 European Plans and Operations Center (EPOC), coordinating and directing Logistics support of the total war effort. For his exceptional service during this deployment he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal and was later promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

As a captain with seven years of full-time service in 1997, he separated from active duty and immediately became a member of the Air Force Reserve. He was soon promoted to major and became an acquisition officer at the Headquarters of Air Force Material Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He worked on major Air Force programs and weapon systems that were critical to the nation's defense.

He joined the Air Force in 1990 following his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy, and served on active duty for seven years in the supply chain, Logistics, plans, and acquisition career fields. He then transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 1997, beginning his Reserve career which continues to the present time.

Following in his Dad's footsteps of lifelong military service, John attended the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in May, 1990. Entering active duty, his early assignments were in the fields of Logistics and plans in three different locations: California, Hawaii, and Italy. During these early years, then lieutenant Tree deployed on 4 different occasions (2 times each) to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Given his fluency in both French and Haitian Creole, he was the lead linguist for the Joint Task Force responsible for returning Haitian migrants to Haiti and for Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994. He served as part of the United Nations Mission in Haiti, wearing the blue beret associated with the United Nations.

Tree was born in 1966 in Provo, Utah to Norman and Sallianne Tree. He is the 2nd oldest of 6 children. His father was a career Air Force fighter pilot who flew combat missions in Vietnam for a year. His family moved around frequently due to his father's demanding military career. The whole family lived in Southern France from 1977 to 1980 while his father was assigned as the U.S. Air Force exchange officer to the French Air Force Academy. While living in France he attended 6th - 8th grades at a local French middle school, and he's completely fluent in French. His family returned to the United States in 1980 where he attended three different high schools over the following four years in California, Michigan, and Utah, graduating in 1984. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America, earning his Eagle Scout while in high school. He excelled academically as well as athletically, garnering varsity letters in swimming, diving, tennis, track, and cross-country.

As a lieutenant colonel, Tree was appointed the commander of the 38th Aerial Port Squadron in Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. He led his squadron for three years, commanding a team of 215 men and women of the United States Air Force Reserve. During this period his squadron's Airmen were deployed on numerous occasions to combat zones in the middle east, including Iraq and Afghanistan.