Earlier this week on Memorial Day, I had the honor of attending the 2025 American Music Awards, broadcast nationally from Las Vegas.
I wasn’t there to walk the red carpet. I was there as a veteran — invited by my Naval Academy classmate George Dennis ‘90 — to witness something more powerful: a nationally televised event that used its platform to recognize military service, elevate veteran stories, and spotlight what purpose looks like at scale.
That presence was made possible by the Easy Day Foundation, co-founded by Frankie Fertitta IV, whose mission is simple but urgent:
Support veterans by amplifying their stories and building bridges back to civilian life.
This year, Easy Day served as the official nonprofit partner of the AMAs, helping orchestrate moments that went far beyond performance. It was a first-of-its-kind effort — and it landed.
“Partnering with the AMAs gives us a powerful platform to elevate the stories of our veterans and amplify the mission of Easy Day,” said Landon Gyulay, co-founder of Easy Day Foundation."
The AMA stage became a tribute to those who serve:
Much of this momentum was made possible by Gerry Byrne, who I had the privilege to meet that night.
Gerry is a Vietnam veteran, a former Marine officer, and currently serves as Vice Chairman of Penske Media — the company behind the AMAs, Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Variety.
He’s found myriad ways to give back to the military community, to include establishing the Salute to Service events at Variety and Rolling Stone, that highlights the contributions of veterans and military families.
In 2024, Gerry received the U.S. Navy’s top civilian honor, the Distinguished Public Service Award, from Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro.
He’s also a board member of the Fisher House, Bob Woodruff Foundation, the Medal of Honor Society, Intrepid Museum and a champion of veteran-led storytelling at the national level.
In short: he’s one of the people who makes nights like this happen.
Working with veteran founders over the past few years, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when mission-aligned leaders bring their values to the marketplace.
Visibility isn’t just symbolic — it’s how values gain traction.
At Traction AI, we help them turn vision into velocity — building systems, stories, and sales engines that drive results and elevate credibility.
When veterans lead with purpose and precision, they don’t just show up — they remind us of the importance of servant leadership.
If you're building something that honors that same spirit — or just want to stay connected to people who do — I’d love to hear from you.
Go Navy!
