About Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois

Service Area

Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois serves as a hub of The Honor Flight Network and is based at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion, IL. All flights depart from Veterans Airport. Veterans Honor Flight serves the Southern Illinois region. View our Service Area.

Board of Directors

Bryan Questelle, Chairman

Bryan Questelle is employed by the State of Illinois.  A graduate of Mid Continent University with a degree in Business Management, he served in the United States Air Force from 1986 to 1990.  Residing in Harrisburg, Illinois with his life partner Lizz Cooley, 3 sons Dakotah, Kaje, and Ely, and 2 step sons Zaden and Jameson.  Bryan volunteers his time as a youth football, basketball and baseball coach.

Randall A. Youngblood, Treasurer

Randall A Youngblood, CPA has a Bachelor degree in accounting from SIU.  He is President and sole owner of Randall A. Youngblood, CPA, PC.  He is a past President of the Herrin Chamber of Commerce and Herrin Rotary.  Randall was Chairman of the Board of Heartland National Bank and had oversight of the merger with a larger bank.  He is the current Treasurer of the Williamson County Airport Authority.

Evan R. Youngblood, Secretary

Evan Youngblood is a business owner from Herrin, IL. His technology company, Megabytes, was founded during his senior year of high school. Evan graduated Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor degree in Information Systems Technologies in 2004. He is a Mission Pilot and Flight Instructor for Civil Air Patrol, the Auxiliary of the United States Air Force, a Lifetime Member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, and a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and National Association of Flight Instructors. He is an airline transport pilot and certified flight instructor with over 3,500 hours of flight time. He is currently a pilot for a major US airline. Evan is a Past President of the Herrin Chamber of Commerce.

Doug Kimmel

Doug Kimmel graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Management and Associate Degree in Airway Science in 1992.  He worked for a year with the Illinois Department of transportation/Division of Aeronautics before moving to Arizona to work at Yuma International Airport in Airport Operations and then as Director of Foreign Trade Zone & Air Cargo Operations.  In 1998 he returned to Illinois after being hired as the Airport Director at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois.  He holds a Private Pilot Certificate, and serves as Chairman of the Illinois Public Airports Association; Vice-Chairman of the U.S. Contract Tower Association Policy Board; and Chairman of the American Association of Airport Executives Essential Air Service Committee. 

Hope Patterson

Board Member Hope Patterson is a graduate from John A. Logan College with an associate’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting and from McKendree University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.   Aside from being a wife and mother of two, Hope is nearing her 16th year of employment at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois.  Hope also works at her children’s school and is active in her church.  

Key Volunteers

Ed Smith, Volunteer Committee Chairman

Deborah Hogg, Welcome Home Committee Chairwoman

Kristina Austin, Event & Social Media Coordinator

Kimberly Stevenson, Mail Call Coordinator

Matt Duppong, Wheelchair Team Coordinator